HIV’s Patient Zero Mythology Debunked
New genomic sequencing research shows that the virus has been in America a lot longer than previously thought.
Los Angeles Times:
How Scientists Proved The Wrong Man Was Blamed For Bringing HIV To The U.S.
The Canadian flight attendant widely blamed for bringing HIV to the United States and triggering an epidemic that has killed nearly 700,000 people has been exonerated by science, more than 30 years after his death. In a study published Wednesday in the journal Nature, researchers used newly available genetic evidence to show that Gaetan Dugas — who has been dubbed “Patient Zero” — could not have been the first person in the United States to have the virus that causes AIDS. (Netburn, 10/26)