Have viruses made us human ?

[Mr Liver]

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/12/03/071203fa_fact_specter?currentPage=1

A New Yorker article discussing evolutionary biologists findings and Darwin.

[Bill1954]

Mr Liver; thanks for the article and commentary.

George; this is a long read, but is on point to some of your questions:

http://vir.sgmjournals.org/cgi/content/full/85/11/3173

Bill

[Mr Liver]

Different dominant strains exist in various geographic locations for several reasons. Environmental factors (rivers,ranges,islands and continents), the natural evolution of HCVon the molecular level, host genetic factors, and the result of competition between the viral variations. Natural topograpghic features could help a particular variant to gain a strong presence since it would not have to compete with as many outside geno/subtypes for dominance . The various genos and subtypes are in constant competition with one another, and it is believed that host genetic factors can be one determinant of which variants will become dominant within a specific population.  

With the earth's population becoming more and more transient over the last few centuries some geographic locations now have 2,3,4, etc, predominant strains such as here in the US..

Before there was such a thing as transfusions of blood, and blood products the established viral variants did not have any competition at all in their respective geographical regions.

Viral kinetics,quasi-species diversity,viral dynamics,natural history of HCV, evolutionary biology,virology, and viral biophysics are all good keywords to find more info on the topic if you are interested.
I hope this answered your question.
ML

[GGraphix]

Ditto-Very interesting. I wonder (as it appears to this neophyte) why natural divides would have a bearing on mutation. What I'm referring to is different dominate strains in continents. Are there external factors at work on the virus that is changing the internal workings of cells that change our external makeup. Weird stuff.

[comeagain]

very interesting I´ve read the first of 8 pages saved it in my computer gonna read the rest later. ty for posting.

ca