We've basically had enough and we want to go on the record and say look HIV is the cause of Aids and don't think it's anything other

Professor Simon Wain-Hobson

They refute what they call revisionist theories linking Aids to poor diet and drug addiction.

The statement is being seen as an attempt to halt a growing controversy over the disease sparked by the South African President, Thabo Mbeki.

Counter-theory

HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, was discovered 17 years ago and is believed by the vast majority of scientists to be the cause of Aids.

However, a small group of researchers, most notably the US biologist Peter Duesburg, believe that Aids is caused by factors such as drug addiction and diet and has nothing to do with HIV.

Drugs can alleviate the symptoms of Aids

This idea was recently taken up by President Mbeki who established a committee to investigate the relationship between Aids and HIV.

Many highly respected biologists have condemned this move and maintain that HIV is the cause of Aids. To support this view, they have produced this declaration.

Danger of 'misinformation'

"We're all terribly afraid that this misinformation could have a tremendous effect because it will slow down the approach to handling of HIV and Aids and therefore will only increase the number of people that are going to be affected," said leading Aids researcher Professor Simon Wain-Hobson from the Pasteur Institute in Paris, one of the signatories.

"We've basically had enough and we want to go on the record and say look HIV is the cause of Aids and don't think it's anything other."

The declaration contains a summary of the evidence showing the link between HIV and Aids, as well as other facts about the spread of the disease and and its current treatment.

The declaration also maintains that controlling the spread of HIV is the first step towards overcoming Aids.

The South African report into the link between HIV and Aids is expected to be published early next week.