Why are there people in Africa with immunity to HIV?

About 1% of Caucasians have it, and it is even rarer in Native Americans, Asians, and Africans. A 2005 report indicated that 1% of people descended from Northern Europe are virtually immune to AIDS. read more

The most common form of (near) immunity to HIV is actually found in Caucasians, occurring in 1% of the population. People with two copies of the CCR5 delta32 gene (inherited from both parents) are virtually immune to HIV infection. CCR5 is a protein found in white blood cells, part of the immune system. read more

And no doubt there are other groups of people who, like these women, are able to kill off the virus - but it is much easier to see, and monitor, in this community of women who are repeatedly exposed to the virus than it would be in, say, a group of nuns in a convent in Europe. read more