AIDS was first clinically observed in 1981 in
the United States. The initial cases were a cluster of injecting drug users and
homosexual men with no known cause of impaired immunity who showed symptoms of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), a rare opportunistic infection that
was known to occur in people with very compromised immune systems (Gottlieb,
2006).
the United States. The initial cases were a cluster of injecting drug users and
homosexual men with no known cause of impaired immunity who showed symptoms of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), a rare opportunistic infection that
was known to occur in people with very compromised immune systems (Gottlieb,
2006).
In the early days, the Centre for Diseases
Prevention and Control (CDC) did not have an official name for the disease,
often referring to it by way of the diseases that were associated with it, for
example, lymphadenopathy, which the discoverers of HIV originally named the
virus. They also used Kaposi’s sarcoma
and opportunistic infections, the name by which a task force had been
set up in 1981 (CDC, 2012).
Prevention and Control (CDC) did not have an official name for the disease,
often referring to it by way of the diseases that were associated with it, for
example, lymphadenopathy, which the discoverers of HIV originally named the
virus. They also used Kaposi’s sarcoma
and opportunistic infections, the name by which a task force had been
set up in 1981 (CDC, 2012).
At one point, the CDC coined the phrase
“the 4H disease”, since the syndrome seemed to affect homosexuals,
heroin users, hemophiliacs, and Haitians. In the general press, the
term “GRID”, which stood for gay-related immune deficiency, had been coined. However, after determining
that AIDS was not isolated to the gay community, it was realized that the
term GRID was misleading and the term AIDS was introduced at a meeting in July
1982. By September 1982 the CDC started referring to the disease as AIDS
(Altman, 2008).
“the 4H disease”, since the syndrome seemed to affect homosexuals,
heroin users, hemophiliacs, and Haitians. In the general press, the
term “GRID”, which stood for gay-related immune deficiency, had been coined. However, after determining
that AIDS was not isolated to the gay community, it was realized that the
term GRID was misleading and the term AIDS was introduced at a meeting in July
1982. By September 1982 the CDC started referring to the disease as AIDS
(Altman, 2008).
Further researches showed there HIV occurs in
two variances which are HIV-1 and HIV-2. Both HIV-1 and HIV-2 are believed to
have originated in non-human primates in West-central Africa and
were transferred to humans in the early 20th century.
HIV-1 appears to have originated in southern Cameroon through the evolution of a
simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) that infects wild chimpanzees. HIV-2 was also believed
to have originated from an Old World monkey living in coastal West Africa (from
southern Senegal to western Côte d’Ivoire) (CDC, 2012).
two variances which are HIV-1 and HIV-2. Both HIV-1 and HIV-2 are believed to
have originated in non-human primates in West-central Africa and
were transferred to humans in the early 20th century.
HIV-1 appears to have originated in southern Cameroon through the evolution of a
simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) that infects wild chimpanzees. HIV-2 was also believed
to have originated from an Old World monkey living in coastal West Africa (from
southern Senegal to western Côte d’Ivoire) (CDC, 2012).
