Are HIV antibodies " just T-cells " with a different name?

Question

I'm trying to get a handle on HIV tests. I'm told (he ELISA) test searchs for "antibodies". Are antibodies just White blood cells? Can't white blood cells show up for a million different reasons? HOw do we know that the prescence of white blood cells means AIDS OR HIV? Isn't there a test that can test for the ACTUAL virus inside your body?

Lots of HIV conspiracy sites say aids might be a myth even "thestraightdope.com " website says that quote "The Duesberg risk-group theory, which we may as well cover while we're on the subject, isn't quite as bizarre. Peter Duesberg, a respected (until now) virologist at UCal-Berkeley, says human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) doesn't cause AIDS, as is otherwise almost universally believed. Instead, AIDS is caused by a general weakening of the immune system due to drug abuse, disease, parasites, malnutrition" ......link --> http://tinyurl.com/oqqf9 ..he is very respected so im freaked out never know who is right sigh*

Answer 1

Antibodies are totally different from white blood cells. Antibodies are tiny molecules that are made by B cells (which are one type of white blood cells) -- some are on the surface of the B cell, and some are secreted into the blood and other fluids. The first source below has much more information about antibodies, if you are interested.

The person would not have antibodies to HIV unless the person was exposed to the HIV virus. Every test has a certain rate of false positives, which is why a positive ELISA test is generally followed up with a Western blot. There are tests that can test for the actual HIV virus, and you can read more about them in the second source below.

Maybe someone else can tell you more about conspiracy theories and whom to trust. I do believe that HIV causes AIDS.

Answer 2

Hmm, I smell a denialist plant here...

Antibodies are Y-shaped proteins made by white cells in response to infiltration by foreign particles in the body (microbes). They are HIGHLY specific. The proteins on the arms are coded specifically to match and bind specific proteins on whatever particles they're targeting.

So white cells != antibodies. Antibodies are parts produces by cells. If you have antibodies to a particular thing (aka ANTIGEN), it means your body has been exposed to that thing. So if you have HIV antibodies in your blood, that means that at some point in your life, HIV has been in your blood.

And Duesberg? Anyone who knows anything about Berkeley knows two things: 1. No one calls it U-Cal Berkeley. It's CAL. 2. Duesberg is a douche who blights the entire MCB department. Nobody respects him. God help you if you're the poor grad student assigned to work under his tutelage because you will never get published, recognized by any legitimate research organization, nor will you ever get hired as faculty anywhere. Duesberg is the mark of death.

Dude, you almost had me thinking you were credible. But then you had to bring Berkeley into it. If there are two things I care about in this world (particularly Y!A), it's medicine and my alma mater. You have stepped on the wrong toes.

Answer 3

There are hundreds of conspiracy theory sites for EVERY topic, not just HIV. And there are dozens of different ones for HIV, not just the ones that say the virus is harmless.

If you can't tell science from pseudoscience and other forms of BS, you can be damaged by the BS.