What this story needs at this point are Researchers with Magic Wands, to wave, and chant some strange
incantation that would rid this planet of this deadly mutating virus. God expresses himself through nature, just look around! Nature expresses herself through years of evolution. When we examine the biology on this planet we see creatures, great and small, but they are here because of their genetic diversity, resiliency and ability to reproduce.

Viruses are thought to be a mechanism that propels evolution forward, and many feel that viruses, themselves, hold the keys to understanding life on this planet. Just about every other life form on this planet must survive; eat, protect and defend itself, and reproduce. All this must be done quickly and under extreme environmental conditions, (i.e., heat, cold, salinity, etc...)

Viruses have found a shortcut. They let the host (you) do all the work and reproducing and they tag along for
the ride. As long as the virus does not instantly, or within a short period of time, kill the host- like the Ebola
Virus can - then the virus can live a symbiotic (sharing) relationship with you, the host. A good example of this is the Malaria Virus. Malaria is the number one killer around the world, due mostly to the lack of access of clean water in third world countries. But, in Africa, Sickle Cell Anemia prevents Malaria from attacking the host. Both can kill you separately, but if you have one, it will prevent the other from killing you. It has to do with the sickled shape that the red blood cell (Erythrocyte) collapses into that prevents the malaria from attacking the red blood cell (RBC). Since life is very stable, and only the most hardy of creatures can survive, where does the "highly unstable", "rapidly mutating" HCV come from? We must conclude that it is not a natural creation.

For years philosophers have pointed to the fact: that in real life "order tends to go to disorder", meaning if you left a sandwich on the counter for hundreds of years it would eventually breakdown into its basic components. The argument for the existence of a God is that; with "life" we tend to see "order from disorder". We can watch a seed sprout and strive to reach the sunlight. We have all watched as children grow, and learn. They are going from "disorder to order". When we die, we follow the universal pattern of " order to disorder", and "ashes to ashes, dust to dust...". We breakdown into our basic chemical elements after death. If we follow this corollary (reasoning path) then we see the Hepatitis C Virus going from "order to disorder", or breaking apart. The problem is that it may take 50,000 years to do so. What we need are researchers with magic wands! Let's see if we have any developing!

Let us continue the story with you, the reader, being offered a fellowship from Yale to The National Academy
of Sciences in 1986. This assignment is too good an offer to pass up. At the National level there would simply
be more resources available for you to do your work. Your team of Scientists have begun to study HBV related "Variants". You test and find that patients, in 1986, with "viral hepatitis" are testing positive for Yellow Fever and in some cases Dengue Fever. Why do you know to study Yellow Fever at the National Academy? Of course they test positive, they are one and the same, or come from a common ancestor in their recent past history.

The Flavaviridae family tree is starting to split in 1986.

By 1998 they will resemble nothing like their ancestors of just 35 years earlier. The Hepatitis C Virus is part
of the Flavairidae Virus Family (taxonomic classification), and part of the "Hepatitis C-like Viruses" Genus.
Flava, for short, comes from the Latin word: flavus, meaning "yellow". So, the Yellow Family of Viruses, have
3 children.

They are:

1). Pestivirus; bovine diarrhea virus.
2). Flavavirus: Yellow Fever Virus.
3). Hepatitis C-Like viruses.

As you can see yourself, the closest relative on this planet to HCV is Yellow Fever.

Realizing this allows you to comprehend that they may be one in the same, or were in 1942, when the tainted
serum was used to contaminate the Yellow Fever vaccine with Aboriginal HBV. Of course HCV tests positive
to Yellow Fever! This begins to become confusing with HCV, HBV, Yellow Fever and the Adenovirus. But
realize that what is happening in the lab is that HBV and Yellow Fever have turned into HCV. It will take the
military's adenovirus to find this out.

After realizing that you are dealing with a rapidly changing creature , that was initiated by the government, The National Academy of Sciences sends you and other top researchers to the University of Pennsylvania,
Pittsburgh, for a one week "Classified" National Conference. The University of Pennsylvania (UPENN, Ivy
League) is the Nation's premiere Institution for Hepatitis C Research.

Everyone in attendance is required to sign that they attended and that they will not disclose the purpose, or
outcome, of this conference to anyone outside of the National Institute. The reason of course: National
Security, and for the good of the public at large. It will be to the government's benefit to silence this matter
until there is a cure, then all (the public) will be told to come in for free and receive treatment. Until then, only panic and fear would reign and rule. People in desperate situations may cause more harm than good to
themselves by trying to find a cure with home remedies or dangerous toxins. Only the big corporations have
the expertise to save all, you are told. Only the big boys can help us.

Do not listen, or even entertain, simple low cost remedies or painless cures. This is going to make big money, and further our careers greatly! You are told.

Once back at the National Academy, and especially since you have been focused like a laser now to HCV, you
go back to study the HBV.

You and your colleagues find that HBV, during replication, opens up and has a single RNA sequence string
that acts as a retrovirus. In 1990 you write that "they both come from the same DNA sequences" in referring
to HBV and HCV. This you publish in the magazine of Hepatology. In 1993 you will write an Editorial for
Hepatology that is entitled "Chasing The Escaped Mutant" (what mutant Doctor?). After this article appears
all further future references will not reflect the reality! HCV is put into a different genus than Yellow Fever and all evidence of the 1942 disaster is deleted from public record. What was called a test then, was now changed to say "epidemic" or "outbreak". What was a "hypothesis" then, is a "contaminant" today. What was
"tinkering" then, is called "genetics" today.

The Hepatitis C virus Genome is listed as: Linear; single stranded; RNA. Genome monopartite. Encapsidated
nucleic acid solely genomic and both genomic and subgenomic; mRNA. Genomic nucleic acid positive sense.
Total genome 9,400 nucleotides long. 3' terminus has a poly (A) tract (found in subgenomic mRNA), or has no
poly (A) tract (but several poly (A) rich regions are located near the 3'-end). Meet the Hepatitis C Virus!

By 1996 you have moved to Harvard with your spouse and children, and, continue your work with HCV and
HBV. By 1996 you are using Adenoviruses to insert HBV DNA segments into liver cells. You now have the
"Magic Wands", or diagnostic tools and equipment that are essential and needed to study the HCV replication process.

This may be the The American Century after all! Advanced science, technology and "Military Might" compels
the disintegrating Soviet Union to throw in the towel years earlier than expected - even by our own C.I.A.. .
Society speaks of the "Peace Dividend" that would now pay to advance much needed social programs like:
Housing, Education and Health Care. The dividend was partly used to finance the "Gulf War" in 1991. The rest
of the dividend was used to let the Savings and Loan Industry off the hook for their misdeeds in the 1980's".
In Washington, D.C., during the 1990's, time, sometimes means change. The party that controlled the White
House, and was a minority in Congress, lost the election. The party that controlled Congress lost yet, gained
the White House. The political bickering, and the false public posturing by important figureheads, would have
grave profound effects on every HCV patient for years to come.

While the media followed lurid "sex tales", human beings suffered and died. The crushing effects on the
families and the diminishment within our communities, world-wide, will now be realized.

The Yellow Fever Virus had come full circle around the globe, changed it "spots" and was now a terrorist virus that had employed stealth technology combined with cellular guerilla warfare. The jungles of Panama had come back to remind the world that there is a price to be paid for supreme arrogance, and self-absorption.

Unfortunately, HCV patients are that price. Was it worth it?