Blame the Romans

Rather off topic but an interesting piece in the New Scientist magazine(Hat Tip-Alice Fishburn)

The reason that Western Europeans are more susceptible to the HIV virus comes down to a gene called CCR5.

This gene ,and I quote

has 32 DNA base pairs missing and produces a receptor that HIV cannot bind to, which prevents the virus from entering the cells. People with this variant have some resistance to HIV infection and also take longer to develop AIDS.

The problem being that as the Romans conquered Europe,their bloodline reduced its occurrence.Hence people in the South of Europe have more susceptibility than those further north.

Still lost,well although its pattern correlates to the marauding armies of the empire,it may be down to the Viking's whose pattern of conquest correlates to the gene's prevalent areas.

Well it was a good story