The possible link between GM crops has been in the news more lately. An article in the German newspaper Der Spiegel revealed a recent study that showed an AIDS like syndrome in affected bees, and exposure to Bt caused a significantly faster progression of the disease.
Jouni Ylinen recently pointed me to a study that was done 2001-2004 which observed a similar problem, so it’s not like it’s been a secret this whole time. Note near the bottom of the page, where it says:
A chance infestation by parasites (microsporidia) resulted in more significant damage to the Bt-fed colonies. The underlying mechanism which causes this effect is unknown.
Bt works by damaging the gut on certain insects, and causing it to rupture. Until now Bt was thought to only attack very specific insects that are susceptible to it, and be non toxic to others. Apparently the toxicity of Bt may not be fully understood.
A seeming unrelated story has emerged in South Africa, on babies with HIV. Transmission of the disease is lower in breastfed babies, and the reason they think is because infant formulas irritate the gut, which more easily allows the virus to pass into the body.
Could these two unrelated news items actually be related?
