The first recognised cases of AIDS were identified in 1981 when a very rare form of pneumonia (Pneumonia carinii ), thrush and Kaposi’s sarcoma (a rare skin cancer) suddenly made an appearance simultaneously in several patients admitted to hospitals in the USA.
Adler tells us in Development of the epidemic (1988) that these patients were young homosexual men with damaged immune systems.
In 1983 a virus was identified and known as LAV (lymphadenopathy-associated virus).
In May 1986 the virus was renamed as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus)
Soon afterwards a new disease made an appearance among heterosexual people in Central Africa. This disease destroyed the immune systems, caused severe diarrhoea and gross weight loss. In Africa it was called ‘slim disease’.
Alta van Dyk describes (HIV/AIDS Care & Counselling) in detail the claims and protracted court case between Dr Luc Montagnier of the Louis Pasteur Institute and Dr Robert Gallo of the USA. Both claimed the discovery of the virus. After intervention of the presidents of France and the USA a compromise was reached and both scientists were officially recognised as the co- discoverers of the virus according to Conner & Kingman (The Search for the Virus).
Two viruses are associated with AIDS; HIV-1 and HIV-2.
HIV-1 was isolated in Central, East & southern Africa, North and Southern America, Europe and the rest of the world. HIV-2 was discovered in West Africa in 1986. Due to global travel these viruses will cross borders.
In 1987 the first antiretroviral drug AZT (zidovudine) was approved for use.
In 1994 ART (antiretroviral therapy) was used for the first time to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
It was in 1995 that triple drug therapy was introduced. It took another decade before some countries in southern Africa started using ART.
At this stage all the world’s governments recognise the need for ART as a response to HIV infection. The roll out to infected individuals is impeded by the prohibitive cost of the drugs.
ART is used for:
- Long-term treatment of persons with established infections
- Short-term prevention- mother-to-child-transmission; occupational exposure and traumatic exposure after sexual assault or rape.
Active research is now being undertaken to develop ART for the prevention of accidental or casual exposure.
HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence.
We can all play a part in fighting this pandemic, no matter how small. Don’t underestimate your own contribution.
©Teresa Denton
HIV 123 
As always, the “ordinary” scientific facts just sweep one along. It is so important for South Africans, where the virus is so rampant, to read this and inform themselves. Was “sleeping sickness” in Africa, already identified in the 1950s, not the precursor of HIV/AIDS?
The causal organism of ‘sleeping sickness’ is unrelated to HIV so it is not considered to have a relationship at this stage. Research is ongoing to find the origin of the ‘new’ virus. It may have occurred earlier but the first identified signs and symptoms were only isolated and described in the early 1980’s.