Is it possible (likely?) for the HIV virus to evolve (mutate?) into a ultra-dangerous deadly airborne pathogen

Question

If it were to do so should we expect a worldwide mortal pandemic ultimately decimating or extinguishing our species ?

Why do so many answers frequently "beg the question"?
We know the friability of HIV, but, the question is intended as why couldn't it evolve an additional route of transmission, air (Its obvious that it evolves to higher resistivity in vivo).

Answer 1

Evolution rarely takes such dramatic leaps as the one you're proposing. In order to become airborne it would have to become present in significant quantities in saliva or mucous and increase its viability outside the body. While both of those steps are theoretically possible, they're not likely to both happen at the same time. I'm not aware of any virus that has made such a radical series of shifts in a short period of time.

But, assuming it were to happen, yes, you could certainly expect a worldwide pandemic. Due to HIV's long preclinical stage, it would take years to realize it was spreading by a different mechanism.

Many would die. Perhaps half the world's population. Those who survived would be: residents of wealthy countries whose governments made concerted efforts to mass-produce antiretroviral medications, and lucky individuals who possessed some type of inherent protection from the virus, such as the CCR5 delta 32 allele. Mankind would fully recover, though, as those resistant to the virus thrived, and as highly pathogenic strains killed their hosts, thus making less virulent strains more common.

Answer 2

This is extremely unlikely. HIV, like many viruses, "dies" fairly rapidly when exposed to air, as it is fragile and does not survive dessication (drying out). It is not even hardy enough to be spread via most body fluids such as sweat, urine or saliva; it requires the richer environment of things like blood or seminal fluid to thrive. It is also easily killed with bleach.

It is also a virus that in and of itself is not that dangerous; what it does to the immune system is the problem, and most people with full-blown AIDS die from infections that would not normally kill people with adequate immune response.

Something that few people think about, but that is already far more dangerous and in some cases antibiotic resistant, is tuberculosis. It is an airborne pathogen that can lead to death or debilitation and is fairly easily spread in confined areas.

Answer 3

I think the chances of HIV being the end-all are about zero. It will probably be some new virus that is airborne that will get us. The nature of HIV just makes it very unlikely that it could ever mutate to something so contagious.

Answer 4

I never heard anything about HIV mutating to aribrne.

A virus of this nature simply cannot just transform from an STD to an airborne virus.

However, there have been many cases of HIV mutating to resists drugs.

Answer 5

I'm definitely not a doctor, but I do know that HIV is a weak virus. When coupled with a host, its affects can be potentially deadly of course. But by saying that it is a weak virus, I mean that it cannot survive in the air because it must have a host to survive.

Answer 6

in basic terms in a technological expertise lab It became finished as quickly as some years in the past It made the information somebody blended the HIV virus with the worry-loose chilly. they reported their introduction became destroyed afterwards, and there became no threat of their introduction getting out of the lab.. Scientists doing some thing purely simply by fact they'd - is many times incorrect

Answer 7

I don't think it can do that btu just FYI it's already listed as pandemic.

Answer 8

I don't think so. It's not spread airborne and I don't think it ever will be.

Answer 9

It is exceedingly unlikely that would happen.