What is never discussed is the fact that AIDS in Africa has absolutely no resemblance to AIDS anywhere else in the world. To be diagnosed with AIDS in Africa, no HIV test is required, nor must HIV be present. An AIDS diagnosis in Africa is based solely on the presence of four symptoms: prolonged diarrhea, persistent cough, prolonged fever, and weight loss in excess of 10% body weight (Bangui definition). Those are the same symptoms of malnutrition, poverty, and other diseases common to Africa such as tuberculosis and malaria. HIV-Positive estimates in Africa are extrapolated from HIV tests on pregnant or post-partum women; however, pregnancy is a major cause of false positive test results. Furthermore, the longest and largest scientific study (Padian, 1997) proved that HIV is not transmitted through heterosexual intercourse. So this entire disucssion is moot and has no scientific basis in fact.