The discoverer of HIV denies it?

Some people have claimed that Montagnier, the discoverer of HIV, has claimed that HIV doesn't cause AIDS. Here is a letter from him from the May 20, 1992 San Francisco Examiner to the contrary.

In response to widespread media coverage claiming that Dr. Luc Montagnier had aligned with Duesberg and no longer believes HIV to be the cause of AIDS, Montagnier responds:

"The [Sunday London Times] article was highly misleading since it mixed a correct account of my interview with anti-HIV non-scientific theories"
"I was the first in 1983 to propose HIV (then LAV) as the best candidate for the cause of AIDS, and I maintain that position. However, the possibility remains that HIV is helped by some co-factors. The mechanism of death of T-lymphocytes in AIDS appears to be more complicated than solely due to a direct cytopathic effect of the virus, and probably involves abnormal activation by antigens (and/or super-antigens) and signals coming from HIV proteins, and finally some auto-immune mechanisms. Moreover, our recent data suggest that some mycoplasma strains may amplify the replication and action of HIV. This is just opposite to the view that AIDS is not caused by HIV and is not a transmissible disease. I strongly advise patients to rely on antiviral treatment."

Also note that Montagnier recently published a book "Virus" on HIV and AIDS.

Ken Shirriff: shirriff@eng.sun.com