I am a 25yr old White Male in UK, and I have been diagnosed with HIV :(

Originally posted by dr treg
I think the main idea of the OP was not to discuss his health but rather to discuss whether or not HIV is manmade.

Originally posted by benjamin2012
mods: Please move the post if I have put it in the wrong area, thanks...

Now the reason I am posting all this on ATS is, I believe HIV/Aids is a man made virus. I think it was either a weapon the government have produced to kill mass populations, or is part of the global population control conspiracy, or was produced by the medication industry to keep feeding their profits from the pills they have to make.

I just find it too hard to believe with all the money and research gone into finding a cure or vaccine that we are still no closer to finding one.

And while posting there response, what is wrong with encouraging someone to take care of themselves and sharing OUR own experience with HIV.... As someone who respects life, I would be a hypocrite if I said "HEY, its OK, DO IT! END IT! SAVE US THE TROUBLE"

He didn't ask for pity. He asked for an opinion and was given advice both good and bad. He also got many words of encouragement and well wishes. I have yet to see one of those posts be removed by the MOD... So, it doesn't look for the haters in here.

Comments and questions are all welcome

So many of the replies have been about telling him to stick in there etc which was not the idea of his posting?

Originally posted by starchild10

Originally posted by dr treg
I think the main idea of the OP was not to discuss his health but rather to discuss whether or not HIV is manmade.

In which case there was no need to go into chapter and verse - simply pose the question. It is not surprising that the issue got lost. For the record (and to keep on topic) I don't know. But personally I don't think it's a plot to decimate civilisation. Simply because governments have much more effective forms of bio terrorism available to them.

TPTB CLAIM to have killed Bin Laden
2nd line

NOTE TO MOD: I do not know about UK law, however, diagnosing and suggesting treatment in the United States without a license to practice medicine is illegal and punishable by fine and imprisonment.

Bad medical advice IE "DR" Conrad Murray found guilty of killing Michael Jackson for medical malpractice.

This site should take great care in NEVER giving medical advice. Another persons life is nothing to be toyed with.

If you notice my posts on this thread, I qualified myself as a health educator and NOT a doctor and further, suggested that in ALL cases, PLEASE consult your physician regardless of what decision you make.

To the OP,

I KNOW that you were curious about the conspiracy theory behind HIV/AIDS but as I stated to you earlier, JUST BY POSTING, you have made yourself known, if not as a person, then as a cause. For better or worse.

You can be an inspiration or a reason....

ALL THAT SAID:

OP, IF you are receiving so much outpouring of love, care and support from many if not most of us here at ATS, it is because, YOUR victory, by proxy, becomes OUR victory. Conversely, if you lose your battle, what hope have we in a better tomorrow?

Heroes are not born, they are not prepared. They become so on the moment of greatest need.

Your acceptance of death is a rally cry for those that believe in the sanctity of life to LIVE.

So, naturally, we don't want to see you lose your fight.

For what its worth OP, "I AM FIGHTING FOR YOU"

I donated my body to science literally. I have had more tests done on me than I can count. Not the least of which include 11 VOLUNTARY spinal taps in order to track progression of the disease and its effects on the neurological system. I do this so others, like you don't have to.

I am not seeking kudos or stars for that either. I just hope that it inspires others to do something akin to that to fight HIV.

30 years ago, my friends were dropping like flies. Today, flies are all I have left for friends in some cases. BUT, because of their sacrifices, you would never know I am HIV+ to see me.

So, please know that we care. For you and for us. And we dont want to lose you.

Peace be with you =-)

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The illness interferes with the immune system making people with AIDS much more likely
to get infections, including opportunistic infections and tumors that do not affect people
with working immune systems. This susceptibility gets worse as the disease continues.

Although treatments for HIV/AIDS can slow the course of the disease,
there is no known cure or HIV vaccine. Antiretroviral treatment reduces
both the deaths and new infections from HIV/AIDS, but these drugs are expensive .

en.wikipedia.org...

Find a good immunologist and follow his directions.

en.wikipedia.org...

Wherever and how the disease came to be is, I agree , unknown.
The truth is you are dealing with it now. Find all of the information you can
and take heart lots of people live much longer now that there is treatment.

I wish you well and will pray for you.

Sincerely, Ex

The number 1 killer of individuals said to be HIV positive, is the HIV medication itself. There are no long term survivors who have been on medication the whole time. The older medications, nucleoside analogs such as AZT, ddi, 3TC, etc. killed HIV positive people fairly quickly much of the time. Now days the dose of those is much lower, but they still harm the body the same way. The Protease inhibitors are just as deadly. The Non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors like Nevirapine are comparably as nasty as AZT. Nevirapine is known to kill people fairly quickly as well.

All this propaganda from pharmacutical companies about we can fight the disease now, and prolong lives is bull#. They put out so much propaganda it is ridiculous. Articles in newspapers speaking of individuals who claim they have been on the medication since they were diagnosed as HIV positive in the 80s. A key problem with propaganda like that is, that it is scientifically impossible for someone to be on AZT at 80s and early 90s dosages and live to tell about it.

Magic Johnson in a Q and A in the 90s which he thought was off the record, stated that he wasn't taking the medication, because it made him really sick when he first got on it. He said he stopped taking it and hasn't looked back since. Now days of course, Magic has the big contract with the Pharmacutical company, which puts ads on black websites, claiming he takes their medication every day and it keeps him healthy. What a sell out.

To anyone who has been diagnosed HIV positive. Know that no doctor is qualified, even an HIV specialist, to diagnose someone as being HIV positive using those tests. No test out there whether it be ELISA, Western Blot, or PCR, can detect HIV point blank period. Furthermore, Blood cell counts are just a faulty. Immune System 101, students learn that usually only a small fraction of white blood cells are even in the blood stream at any given time, i.e. blood cell counts don't mean #. Athletes working out continuously for a couple week have been known to have blood cell counts which would put them in the full blown AIDS category, if one of these crazy HIV doctors got a hold of them.

Thanks for telling us and im so sorry you have had such a bad year, I agree with you on the HIV/aids government thing, i have been looking into biological weapons lately and this popped up a few times, It makes me happy too know your not afraid of dying and its nice that you think that. Maybe think twice about the medication though, it could have been just the chemo as its known too have horrible side effects. But its your choice
Good luck with the future, all the best

Originally posted by D_Mason
The number 1 killer of individuals said to be HIV positive, is the HIV medication itself. There are no long term survivors who have been on medication the whole time. The older medications, nucleoside analogs such as AZT, ddi, 3TC, etc. killed HIV positive people fairly quickly much of the time. Now days the dose of those is much lower, but they still harm the body the same way. The Protease inhibitors are just as deadly. The Non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors like Nevirapine are comparably as nasty as AZT. Nevirapine is known to kill people fairly quickly as well.

All this propaganda from pharmacutical companies about we can fight the disease now, and prolong lives is bull#. They put out so much propaganda it is ridiculous. Articles in newspapers speaking of individuals who claim they have been on the medication since they were diagnosed as HIV positive in the 80s. A key problem with propaganda like that is, that it is scientifically impossible for someone to be on AZT at 80s and early 90s dosages and live to tell about it.

Magic Johnson in a Q and A in the 90s which he thought was off the record, stated that he wasn't taking the medication, because it made him really sick when he first got on it. He said he stopped taking it and hasn't looked back since. Now days of course, Magic has the big contract with the Pharmacutical company, which puts ads on black websites, claiming he takes their medication every day and it keeps him healthy. What a sell out.

To anyone who has been diagnosed HIV positive. Know that no doctor is qualified, even an HIV specialist, to diagnose someone as being HIV positive using those tests. No test out there whether it be ELISA, Western Blot, or PCR, can detect HIV point blank period. Furthermore, Blood cell counts are just a faulty. Immune System 101, students learn that usually only a small fraction of white blood cells are even in the blood stream at any given time, i.e. blood cell counts don't mean #. Athletes working out continuously for a couple week have been known to have blood cell counts which would put them in the full blown AIDS category, if one of these crazy HIV doctors got a hold of them.

Your post is dangerously wrong and misleading. It is factually erroneous. Unless you sit on a board of medical professionals, you are not qualified to make the statement that no doctor is qualified. Your's are theories at best and can be lethal at worst.

You want to come across as knowledgeable but there is no way to factually qualify your statement and I am not responding to defend the OP but to PROTECT THE MYRIAD people infected with HIV that may not know any better and MAY in fact look to THIS site for information. This is a dangerous precedent. I cannot stress enough to people... IF YOU ARE NOT A DOCTOR, YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO DIAGNOSE OR SUGGEST TREATMENT! FOR ANY AND ALL SUCH MATTERS, THE CHOICE IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE TO BE MADE WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER THAT YOU HAVE A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP REGARDING YOUR HEALTH WITH. ANYONE THAT EVEN REMOTELY SUGGESTS ANYTHING ELSE CAN BE CHARGED WITH A CRIME.

I am not saying that you will.. Only that you are placing yourself right in the path of litigation.

reply to post by Hessiana


HIV being a government bio weapon is simply a side track. The real issue is that there are several alleged viruses out there that have never been properly isolated, hence the reason there is no test that detects it. Hepatitis B, and C fall under that umbrella as well, when it comes to viruses that are credited with great destruction, yet haven't been properly isolated. Just like no HIV test can detect HIV, no test can detect Hepatitis either.

Just like vaccines, AIDS is a business and the human victims are nothing more than cash cows to this industry. If you want proof, watch Gary Null's video "The Greatest Medical Fraud in History - The Pain, Profit and Politics of AIDS"




Natural Hygiene is now my healthcare system. It's inexpensive and effective.

Good luck to you, OP!

Originally posted by FrankieNinja

Originally posted by D_Mason
The number 1 killer of individuals said to be HIV positive, is the HIV medication itself. There are no long term survivors who have been on medication the whole time. The older medications, nucleoside analogs such as AZT, ddi, 3TC, etc. killed HIV positive people fairly quickly much of the time. Now days the dose of those is much lower, but they still harm the body the same way. The Protease inhibitors are just as deadly. The Non nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors like Nevirapine are comparably as nasty as AZT. Nevirapine is known to kill people fairly quickly as well.

All this propaganda from pharmacutical companies about we can fight the disease now, and prolong lives is bull#. They put out so much propaganda it is ridiculous. Articles in newspapers speaking of individuals who claim they have been on the medication since they were diagnosed as HIV positive in the 80s. A key problem with propaganda like that is, that it is scientifically impossible for someone to be on AZT at 80s and early 90s dosages and live to tell about it.

Magic Johnson in a Q and A in the 90s which he thought was off the record, stated that he wasn't taking the medication, because it made him really sick when he first got on it. He said he stopped taking it and hasn't looked back since. Now days of course, Magic has the big contract with the Pharmacutical company, which puts ads on black websites, claiming he takes their medication every day and it keeps him healthy. What a sell out.

To anyone who has been diagnosed HIV positive. Know that no doctor is qualified, even an HIV specialist, to diagnose someone as being HIV positive using those tests. No test out there whether it be ELISA, Western Blot, or PCR, can detect HIV point blank period. Furthermore, Blood cell counts are just a faulty. Immune System 101, students learn that usually only a small fraction of white blood cells are even in the blood stream at any given time, i.e. blood cell counts don't mean #. Athletes working out continuously for a couple week have been known to have blood cell counts which would put them in the full blown AIDS category, if one of these crazy HIV doctors got a hold of them.

Your post is dangerously wrong and misleading. It is factually erroneous. Unless you sit on a board of medical professionals, you are not qualified to make the statement that no doctor is qualified. Your's are theories at best and can be lethal at worst.

You want to come across as knowledgeable but there is no way to factually qualify your statement and I am not responding to defend the OP but to PROTECT THE MYRIAD people infected with HIV that may not know any better and MAY in fact look to THIS site for information. This is a dangerous precedent. I cannot stress enough to people... IF YOU ARE NOT A DOCTOR, YOU ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO DIAGNOSE OR SUGGEST TREATMENT! FOR ANY AND ALL SUCH MATTERS, THE CHOICE IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE TO BE MADE WITH THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY YOUR MEDICAL PROVIDER THAT YOU HAVE A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP REGARDING YOUR HEALTH WITH. ANYONE THAT EVEN REMOTELY SUGGESTS ANYTHING ELSE CAN BE CHARGED WITH A CRIME.

I am not saying that you will.. Only that you are placing yourself right in the path of litigation.

I knew it would only be a short time before a troll popped up to try and counteract the truth I laid out. The dangerous precedent is doctors diagnosing totally healthy people with HIV infection, or trying to attribute a false positive reaction on a test to HIV when there is something else causing the false positive.

You claim, Factually erroneous yet you refuse to point out what Facts you wrongly thing are not factual. Please do go in, and enlighten us to how much you don't know. I state again, Most doctors are not qualified to diagnose someone with HIV infection. Doctors such as these have been enabling criminal HIV charges to start being tossed out in court. They use the already mentioned tests which have not the capability to detect HIV, yet they are being used to make a diagnosis of infection. As far as being charged with a crime. Any doctor who makes a diagnosis of HIV infection using those tests, can be sued for negligence, incompetence, and malpractice.

reply to post by JohnJasper

reply to post by D_Mason


you have no idea what you are talking about. What you have posted is nothing more than rehashed crap spun by the aids denalists.
Is people like you that are making the internet having to become policed to make sure people have the right information and not some BS fantasy stories by people who wish to make a fast buck.

I am not denying that big pharms are making huge amounts of money from drugs that deal with the symptoms of a disease and have no interest in finding a cure but to make claims such as you have is based on nothing but the thoughts from sick individuals wanting to make money from idiots who wish to believe in them

How is it used? Hepatitis B tests may be used for a variety of reasons. Some of the tests detect antibodies produced in response to HBV infection; some detect antigens produced by the virus, and others detect viral DNA. Generally, one set of tests is used to determine the cause of acute symptoms while another set of tests may be used after a diagnosis is made, to monitor possible progression of the disease, to detect chronic infection and/or carrier status. The items below list the main uses for HBV tests:
To detect acute hepatitis B infection: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), IgM and sometimes hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) To diagnose chronic HBV hepatitis: HBsAg, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and sometimes HBeAg To monitor chronic hepatitis B infection and its treatment: HBsAg, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) IgG, hepatitis B e antibody (anti-HBe) IgG and HBV DNA To detect previous exposure to hepatitis B, in a person who is immune compromised (when the virus can become reactivated): hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) total and anti-HBs Some of the secondary reasons to perform testing include: to screen for hepatitis B infection in at-risk populations or in blood donors, to determine if someone is a carrier, to detect previous infection (with subsequent immunity), and to determine if immunity has developed due to vaccination. Some of the tests used to screen for infection may be performed as part of an acute viral hepatitis panel in conjunction with tests for other hepatitis viruses, including hepatitis A (HAV) or hepatitis C (HCV). The following table summarizes the various hepatitis B tests and their uses:

source

The test for HIV is a blood test. You may have a finger prick test which is checked in a clinic within a few minutes, or blood taken from your arm that is sent to a laboratory. Your blood sample will be tested for HIV antibodies; these are produced by your body in response to infection. It can take up to three months for HIV infection to show in your blood, so tests done before this time may not be accurate.

source

reply to post by RMFX1


um they cant of tested me for aids then but they took my blood,and said i was all clear 2 weeks later,i was drunk when i went to the clinic so it was all hazy this happened back in 2005 anyway I really doubt I have aids I think symptoms would of taken there course by now,and the hospital have taken my blood since when i once took a bad E and got kidney failure.

reply to post by benjamin2012


I hope things get better for you. ~SheopleNation

Originally posted by minor007
reply to post by JohnJasper

 

reply to post by D_Mason

 

you have no idea what you are talking about. What you have posted is nothing more than rehashed crap spun by the aids denalists.
Is people like you that are making the internet having to become policed to make sure people have the right information and not some BS fantasy stories by people who wish to make a fast buck.

I am not denying that big pharms are making huge amounts of money from drugs that deal with the symptoms of a disease and have no interest in finding a cure but to make claims such as you have is based on nothing but the thoughts from sick individuals wanting to make money from idiots who wish to believe in them

How is it used? Hepatitis B tests may be used for a variety of reasons. Some of the tests detect antibodies produced in response to HBV infection; some detect antigens produced by the virus, and others detect viral DNA. Generally, one set of tests is used to determine the cause of acute symptoms while another set of tests may be used after a diagnosis is made, to monitor possible progression of the disease, to detect chronic infection and/or carrier status. The items below list the main uses for HBV tests:
To detect acute hepatitis B infection: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc), IgM and sometimes hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) To diagnose chronic HBV hepatitis: HBsAg, hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, and sometimes HBeAg To monitor chronic hepatitis B infection and its treatment: HBsAg, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg), hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) IgG, hepatitis B e antibody (anti-HBe) IgG and HBV DNA To detect previous exposure to hepatitis B, in a person who is immune compromised (when the virus can become reactivated): hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) total and anti-HBs Some of the secondary reasons to perform testing include: to screen for hepatitis B infection in at-risk populations or in blood donors, to determine if someone is a carrier, to detect previous infection (with subsequent immunity), and to determine if immunity has developed due to vaccination. Some of the tests used to screen for infection may be performed as part of an acute viral hepatitis panel in conjunction with tests for other hepatitis viruses, including hepatitis A (HAV) or hepatitis C (HCV). The following table summarizes the various hepatitis B tests and their uses:

source

The test for HIV is a blood test. You may have a finger prick test which is checked in a clinic within a few minutes, or blood taken from your arm that is sent to a laboratory. Your blood sample will be tested for HIV antibodies; these are produced by your body in response to infection. It can take up to three months for HIV infection to show in your blood, so tests done before this time may not be accurate.

source

edit on 6-1-2012 by minor007 because: (no reason given)

You listed a testing methods that fall under ELISA, Western Blot or PCR. None of which can detect HIV, or Hepatitis. As none are detecing specific markers for the virus. Simply markers which are nonspecific to over numerous different things.

Malaria, TB, Leprosy, Crystal Meth, having a cold, having the flu, herpes, HPV, tetanus vaccine, rabbis vaccine, Hep vaccine, flu vaccine, heroin, crack, coc aine, multiple pregnancies, alcohol abuse, HIV meds ..... are just a few of the things that will make the test react positive. They discover new things that also make the tests react positive all the time.

Also any laymen can simply go to the FDA website or any other website that includes the test manufacturers label to see for themselves that no test can actually detect the said virus.

www.fda.gov... Taken from the FDA's own website, a quote from the bottom of paragraph 2 of this label under "Intended Use"
"The AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR Test is not intended to be used as a screening test for HIV or as
a diagnostic test to confirm the presence of HIV infection."

Yet this test is used at a very high clip in this country, and similar tests are used to diagnose people with infection world wide, even though the test label states the above. As I stated before any doctor who is using these tests to give somebody their death sentence life changing HIV positive diagnosis, leaves themselves open to lawsuits. The pharmaceutical companies, legally cover their behinds by putting statements like the above in their test labels. Most doctors are unaware of these labels.

reply to post by D_Mason

How accurate are antibody tests? Antibody tests are extremely accurate when it comes to detecting the presence of HIV antibodies. ELISA tests are very sensitive and so will detect very small amounts of HIV antibody. This high level of sensitivity however, means that their specificity (ability to distinguish HIV antibodies from other antibodies) is slightly lowered. There is therefore a very small chance that a result could come back as ‘false positive’.
A false positive result means that although a person may not be infected with HIV, their antibody test may come back positive. All positive test results are followed up with a confirmatory test, such as:
A Western blot assay – One of the oldest but most accurate confirmatory antibody tests. It is complex to administer and may produce indeterminate results if a person has a transitory infection with another virus.
An indirect immunofluorescence assay – Like the Western blot, but it uses a microscope to detect HIV antibodies.
A line immunoassay - Commonly used in Europe. Reduces the chance of sample contamination and is as accurate as the Western Blot.
A second ELISA – In resource-poor settings with relatively high prevalence, a second ELISA test may be used to confirm a diagnosis. The second test will usually be a different commercial brand and will use a different method of detection to the first. When two tests are combined, the chance of getting an inaccurate result is less than 0.1%.
Rapid HIV tests OraQuick HIV-1/2 test kit An OraQuick HIV-1/2 rapid test kit These tests are based on the same technology as ELISA tests, but instead of sending the sample to a laboratory to be analysed, the rapid test can produce results within 20 minutes. Rapid tests can use either a blood sample or oral fluids. They are easy to use and do not require laboratory facilities or highly trained staff. All positive results from a rapid test must be followed up with a confirmatory test, the results of which can take from a few days to a few weeks.

Antigen test (P24 test) Antigens are the substances found on a foreign body or germ that trigger the production of antibodies in the body. The antigen on HIV that most commonly provokes an antibody response is the protein P24. Early in HIV infection, P24 is produced in excess and can be detected in the blood serum (although as HIV becomes fully established in the body it will fade to undetectable levels). P24 antigen tests are not usually used for general HIV diagnostic purposes, as they have a very low sensitivity and they only work before antibodies are produced in the period immediately after HIV infection. They are now most often used as a component of 'fourth generation' tests.

Fourth generation tests
Some of the most modern HIV tests combine P24 antigen tests with standard antibody tests to reduce the ‘diagnostic window’. Testing for antibodies and P24 antigen simultaneously has the advantage of enabling earlier and more accurate HIV detection. In the UK, fourth generation tests are the primary recommendation for HIV testing among individuals, but are not offered by all testing sites
.1 During June 2010, the FDA approved the first fourth generation test in the United States.
2 PCR test A PCR test (Polymerase Chain Reaction test) can detect the genetic material of HIV rather than the antibodies to the virus, and so can identify HIV in the blood within two or three weeks of infection. The test is also known as a viral load test and HIV NAAT (nucleic acid amplification testing). Babies born to HIV positive mothers are usually tested using a PCR test because they retain their mother's antibodies for several months, making an antibody test inaccurate. Blood supplies in most developed countries are screened for HIV using PCR tests. However, they are not often used to test for HIV in individuals, as they are very expensive and more complicated to administer and interpret than a standard antibody test.

source

For the laymen who does not know. This video even has a scientist who makes the test kits saying, that they can't detect HIV.

Lets be chillingly honest for a second shall we.Forums are faceless and people can pretend to be anyone with any kind of life experience etc.

It would not be unheard of for the poster of this thread to have fabricated this story due to seeking attention or other issues.

Thats why I would never give anyone advice on a forum,it could be a bitchy 14 year old girl wearing a Justin Beiber t shirt posting!you know?

Of course thats not what I am suggesting here,but people lie,dont ask me why they do......they just do.....Oaaaakkkky y'all?

reply to post by FrankieNinja


right on dude.

D_Mason's 'views' (they are NOT facts) suggest the medication's effectiveness is propaganda.

That makes me and hundreds of others I know to be myths. Not real.
Some conspiracies that are spouted are dangerous, and I tend to believe that is a conspiracy in itself. Think about that.
Drugs overpriced? Hell yeah. They don't work???? Wrong. They work.

(hell I was a myth anyway).

reply to post by D_Mason


OMG talk about not seeing the obvious thats right in front of your eyes.
You are correct there is no test to detect the HIV virus but there are tests in which they detect the antibodies. ie your body response to the virus itself and your body produces antibodies

quote from the very 1st line i posted a few posts above

Antibody tests are extremely accurate when it comes to detecting the presence of HIV antibodies

Antibody antibody get that word stuck in your head

An antibody, also known as an immunoglobulin, is a large Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique part of the foreign target, termed an antigen.[1][2] Each tip of the "Y" of an antibody contains a paratope (a structure analogous to a lock) that is specific for one particular epitope (similarly analogous to a key) on an antigen, allowing these two structures to bind together with precision. Using this binding mechanism, an antibody can tag a microbe or an infected cell for attack by other parts of the immune system, or can neutralize its target directly (for example, by blocking a part of a microbe that is essential for its invasion and survival). The production of antibodies is the main function of the humoral immune system.