Through epidemiological considerations we conclude that full-blown AIDS may occur only if the index patient is infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and, in addition, by some other infectious coagent. Since the dynamical behaviour of the spread of AIDS cases with manifestation of Kaposi's sarcoma differs fundamentally from that of the non-Kaposi cases, we conjecture that two independent coagents (together with HIV) are responsible for the outbreak of full-blown AIDS with or without manifestation of Kaposi's sarcoma, respectively. Our formal epidemiological considerations appear to be supported by recent microbiological findings.
Linkage and independence of AIDS and kaposi disease: The interaction of human immunodeficiency virus and some coagents