HIV epidemic accelerated human evolution

A groundbreaking study from the University of Oxford, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals a startling consequence of the HIV epidemic in South Africa: it has demonstrably accelerated human evolution. Researchers focused on the KwaZulu-Natal province, one of the regions hardest hit by the virus, and found that within a mere two decades, the epidemic left a significant mark on the human genome by altering the frequency of immune system genes.

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To niezwykle jasna demonstracja selekcji naturalnej w działaniu, a następnie zatrzymania tej selekcji przez interwencję medyczną

This rapid evolutionary shift occurred before the widespread availability of effective antiretroviral drugs, which began to improve access around 2005. The study's findings illustrate a powerful example of natural selection in action. As the virus ravaged the population, individuals with genetic variations offering even slight resistance were more likely to survive and reproduce, passing those advantageous genes to their offspring. This led to a swift change in the genetic makeup of the population.

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HIV niemal nie istniał w RPA aż do wczesnych lat 90., kiedy nastąpił gwałtowny wybuch epidemii w populacji heteroseksualnej, zakażając około 40 proc. kobiet w ciąży w KwaZulu-Natal.

Evolutionary biologist Michael Worobey of the University of Arizona, who was not involved in the research, described the findings as an "incredibly clear demonstration of natural selection at work, and then the halting of that selection by medical intervention." The research, which analyzed genetic changes in nearly 1,600 mothers and their children from KwaZulu-Natal, highlights how profoundly and quickly environmental pressures, such as a devastating epidemic, can shape the human genome. It also underscores the critical role of medical advancements in mitigating such evolutionary forces.

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Ze względu na specyfikę genetyczną, ograniczoną opiekę zdrowotną i prawdopodobnie krążący podtyp wirusa, u zakażonych osób AIDS rozwijało się wyjątkowo szybko – w ciągu około 4,5 roku, w porównaniu do 10 lat w Ameryce Północnej.