Jack Challem 12/04/96 The latest Ebola epidemic in Zaire may be over, but it’s probably only a matter of time before this supergerm returns – and still others emerge. The reason: Ebola and other deadly viruses, including the human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1), might be stimulated by deficiencies in the mineral selenium. And Zaire – where the Ebola and HIV-1 viruses first appeared – may be a viral “hot zone” because of low selenium levels in the soil and widespread selenium deficiencies among people living off that land. Too strange to be true? To the contrary, a similar connection has been established in China, where a common virus mutates into a dangerous form when it infects people deficient in selenium. Selenium, an essential mineral, functions as […] Read More