The Contributions of the Gallo Team and the Montagnier Team to the Discovery of the AIDS Virus
In this paper I review the main works of the teams headed by Robert Gallo and Luc Montagnier which led to the discovery of the HIV retrovirus and to the blood test with which one can prove HIV infection. I show that this discovery which saved millions of human lifes (and perhaps the survival of mankind) was made possible only (i) because Gallo's team discovered the T-cell lymphocyte growth factor with which they were able to discover the first retrovirus that infects humans (HTLV-I) and their hypothesis that AIDS is caused by a retrovirus, and (ii) because Montagnier's team detected an antibody against alpha interferon in order to enhance retrovirus production with which they were able to discover the HIV retrovirus and their examination and blood test that gave evidence that HIV causes AIDS. Their examination was improved by the Gallo team who proved without doubt that HIV is the cause of AIDS. I leave the question open whether Gallo deserved the Nobel Prize or whether the Nobel committee's decision to award the prize only to Montagnier and Barre-Sinoussi was correct.