Dr. Halperin's response is much appreciated by me. I think too much is criticised without acknowledging Mr. Talbott's intentions, or the overall correctness of his primary point, and academics can get lost in details sometimes. Dr. Halperin strikes a good balance. It looks to me like Mr. Talbott's study has problems, although I really don't think it matters for his primary conclusion regarding prostitutes. But considering the consequences of spreading the disease, quibbling over emotional language comparing prostitutes to drunk drivers or his comparison to rabid dogs, or quietly flailing him for political incorrectness of "cultural insensitivity" ignores the grim reality that HIV is still in its exponential growth phase (Staff 2007). Given the emotional nature of his appeal and somewhat uneven scholarship, one could fault Talbott for not saying that it is the clients of prostitutes that are an equal problem. I think he is probably in error about male circumcision, but one could believe there is an implication suggesting that male circumcision is enough, and that is unlikely.

It seems pretty clear that prostitutes are probably a critical superspreader group, and preponderance of evidence shows that epidemics are driven by superspreaders in the contact network (Schinazi 2002; Keeling 2004; Galvani and May 2005 - many others). The impact of HIV/TB on the African continent has been in comparable to, though less than, that of the European disease pool on north america (Motolinia 1568; Segal and Stineback 1977; Thornton 1987; BBC 2005 - others). Perhaps not enough time has passed to make a proper comparison. But HIV has been a probably crucial underpinning of the warlord phenomenon in regions with astonishing numbers of orphans and no infrastructure able to care and educate them. The HIV/TB plague in Africa is multi-dimensional.

There is a curiousity also, that within the developed world testing and control of prostitutes is practiced. I would stop short of calling this differential a form of racism, since monetary concerns are significant. But when academics fall upon an activist with apparent resources and seemingly commit the error of conflating aspects of questionable scholarship with wrong course of action, in my mind, questions arise about fundamental motives. What are we all working toward here?

May I suggest that the community treat Mr. Talbott as an enthusiastic graduate student with promise? I will observe with humor that I suspect he has had his hair singed off by his reception. I do not know what links he has, nor what resources are available to him from academia. Reaching out to him and working to help him become more effective and knowledgable while simultaneously culturing his enthusiasm as a good professor would will create a new ally who is doubtless capable of significant effect. Consider, for instance, what would be the response to an identical paper by someone such as Bill Gates. While not in the Gates league, Mr. Talbott is worthy of a bit more diplomacy, perhaps. I would suggest then, that luminaries like Dr. Halperin meet with Mr. Talbott in person. Textual media is poor for resolutions. Perhaps there could be room for another publication with more rigor to all aspects?

All in all, I rather like the fact Mr. Talbott was able to publish this. He has stirred things up, and I think that is good.

BBC. (2005). "Africa Aids orphans 'may top 18m'." Retrieved November 3, 2005, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/h....

Galvani, A. P. and R. M. May (2005). "Dimensions of superspreading." Nature 438: 293-294.

Keeling, M. (2004). "The Implications of Network Structure for Epidemic Dynamics." Theoretical Population Biology.

Motolinia, T. (1568). Translation of Historia de los indios de la Nueva Espana - Translated by Elizabeth Andros Foster. Berkeley, California, Cortes Society.

Schinazi, R. B. (2002). "On the Role of Social Clusters in the Transmission of Infectious Diseases." Theoretical Population Biology 61(2): 163-169.

Segal, C. M. and D. C. Stineback (1977). Puritans Indians and Manifest Destiny. New York, Putnams.

Staff. (2007). "AIDS Experts Huddle On Prevention Strategy - Report from Fourth International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment, Sydney, Australia." CBS News Retrieved July 24, 2007. "We are losing that game, the numbers game." Anthony Fauci

Thornton, R. (1987). American Indian Holocaust and Survival: A Population History since 1492. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press.