The Aids epidemic can be traced all the way back to 1920 when a group of hunters from Kinshasa ate a chimpanzee that was infected with SIVcpz. SIVcpz is a disease almost identical to HIV and it can be transferred from chimp to human. In the 60's aids was carried via sex trade and migrants from African to Haiti and the Carribean. The disease was then transferred from the Carribean to New York City in about 1970 and then later on in the early 70's to San Francisco.
Although AIDS came into the U.S in the 70's, it wasn't until the 80's that AIDS started coming to the public knowledge. It was mostly affecting gay men and was dubbed GRID (gay-related immune deficiency) and even though it was known to be passed from male to female partners it was called a "gay plague". In 1982 the CDC put an official name to the disease calling it AIDS. By the end of 82, the disease had spread to Europe as well because of U.S international travel.
In 1984 researchers found what was causing this disease and the FDA approved of a blood test to determine if a person was carrying the disease. In 1985 the FDA ban gay men from donating blood in fear of blood bank contamination, and it wasn't until 2015 that the FDA revised that to allow gay men to donate only if they have been celibate for a year. By the end of 85, there was a case of aids in every region in the world with 20,000 cases reported worldwide. AIDS had spread like wildfire and by the end of the 80's the U.S had 100,000 reported cases of the disease and a reported 400,000 throughout the world.
1991 was a big year in moving away from the stereotype of AIDS being a "gay plague" as Magic Johnson came out saying he had the HIV virus. In that year Red Ribbon became a symbol for AIDS awareness. Also in 1991 AIDS awareness was brought to a new height by the death of the famous rock star Freddie Mercury.
In 1994 the FDA approved the first oral test for determining if you carried the virus, as well as an at-home urine test. By 1995 the rate of fatalities, as well as carriers of the virus, declined massively due to new medications as well as awareness. Yet for developing countries, AIDS was and still is an enormous issue and in 1999 it was still the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of death in Africa.
Although AIDS came into the U.S in the 70's, it wasn't until the 80's that AIDS started coming to the public knowledge. It was mostly affecting gay men and was dubbed GRID (gay-related immune deficiency) and even though it was known to be passed from male to female partners it was called a "gay plague". In 1982 the CDC put an official name to the disease calling it AIDS. By the end of 82, the disease had spread to Europe as well because of U.S international travel.
In 1984 researchers found what was causing this disease and the FDA approved of a blood test to determine if a person was carrying the disease. In 1985 the FDA ban gay men from donating blood in fear of blood bank contamination, and it wasn't until 2015 that the FDA revised that to allow gay men to donate only if they have been celibate for a year. By the end of 85, there was a case of aids in every region in the world with 20,000 cases reported worldwide. AIDS had spread like wildfire and by the end of the 80's the U.S had 100,000 reported cases of the disease and a reported 400,000 throughout the world.
1991 was a big year in moving away from the stereotype of AIDS being a "gay plague" as Magic Johnson came out saying he had the HIV virus. In that year Red Ribbon became a symbol for AIDS awareness. Also in 1991 AIDS awareness was brought to a new height by the death of the famous rock star Freddie Mercury.
In 1994 the FDA approved the first oral test for determining if you carried the virus, as well as an at-home urine test. By 1995 the rate of fatalities, as well as carriers of the virus, declined massively due to new medications as well as awareness. Yet for developing countries, AIDS was and still is an enormous issue and in 1999 it was still the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of death in Africa.
Sources
“A Timeline of HIV and AIDS.” HIV.gov, 7 Nov. 2017, www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/history/hiv-and-aids-timeline.
“AIDS.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Jan. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_HIV/AIDS.
“The History of HIV.” Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/history.
Lynch, Stephen. “How the AIDS Epidemic Really Began.” New York Post, New York Post, 31 Mar. 2017, nypost.com/2015/02/22/how-the-aids-epidemic-really-began/.
“AIDS.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 21 Jan. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_HIV/AIDS.
“The History of HIV.” Healthline, Healthline Media, www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/history.
Lynch, Stephen. “How the AIDS Epidemic Really Began.” New York Post, New York Post, 31 Mar. 2017, nypost.com/2015/02/22/how-the-aids-epidemic-really-began/.