Some virologists states that the microbe accused of causing AIDS has never been isolated and cultured. In other words, it has never been shown to exist. None of the particle data has been taken further--no purification, no analysis, and no proof of replication. Several research groups, including Hans Gelderblom and his associates from the Koch Institute in Berlin who specializes in this area, have reported not just one type of particle but a stunning array of particles. When it comes to HIV, the HIV experts can’t even agree what is the HIV particle. There are three subfamilies of retrovirus and HIV has been classified by different research groups under two of these subfamilies as well as three different species." Science journalist Neville Hodgkinson, author of AIDS: The Failure of Contemporary Science: How a Virus that Never was Deceived the World (London, Fourth Estate, 1996), is convinced of the evidence supporting this viewpoint as well: "[Scientists] have not proven that they have actually detected a unique exogenous retrovirus. You have to be absolutely certain that what you have detected is unique and exogenous, and a single molecular species. They haven’t got conclusively to that first step. Just to see particles in the tissue, and fail to look for evidence that it is an ineffective virus, is wrong... The proper controls have never been done. There is no evidence, ten years on, that the particles are a new infectious virus."

Academics will never fully agree on everything, and that's the spark of debate, research and discovery. However, there's a mountain of evidence to support the claim that HIV does, in fact, exist. The argument that it's bever been isolated is an old one and has been refuted. The belief has been muddied since some African authorities have latched onto the "there's no HIV, there's no probelm" argument rather than tackling what is an AIDS epeidemic in their countries. Chekc out the following link for useful information on the matter: http://www.aegis.com/topics/hiv_exist.html