Part 4/9:
Throughout the transcript, a central theme emerges regarding the existence of HIV based on various lines of evidence, particularly electron microscopy. Observations from electron micrographs have shown particles resembling retroviruses, yet the question lingers: how can one definitively say an isolated particle is HIV?
The dialogue shifts to understanding the distinction between virus “isolation” and “purification.” The interviewer sought clarity between the two processes. Isolation is the detection of the virus as its own entity capable of causing infection, while purification entails removing all contaminants, therefore proving that a pure virus particle exists.