AIDS. When, where, how, who?

More than a quarter of a century has passed since the U.S. stood on the brink of the AIDS Epidemic but the cure is still a dilemma. These contemporary years AIDS victims propagate in number. Some were diagnosed, some are unknowingly victims of this noxious and fatal disease. In this section I’ll discuss to you how AIDS started and what are the important occurrence happened since the disease was disclosed.

1981 – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports the FIRST clusters of rare illnesses – Pneumocystis carinii (PCP) and Kaposi’s Sarcoma – in young gay men.

1982 – The CDC officially names the new illness acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and originally identifies four “risk factors:” male homosexuality, intravenous drug abuse, Haitian origin, and Hemophilia A.

1984 – The virus causing AIDS is isolated. It will eventually be named the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).


1986 – President Reagan FIRST mentions the word AIDS in a public forum, and U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop calls for education and condom use. Gay rights activist Cleve Jones creates the first panel of the AIDS Quilt in San Francisco; eventually the quilt will have more than 40,000 panels. Universal Precautions are required in all hospitals and blood-related environments.

1987 – The FIRST antiretroviral drug –zidovudine, or AZT- is approved by the FDA. The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) is established in New York to protest the cost of AZT, and the drug’s price is lowered. Randy Shilt’s book about AIDS epidemic, And the Band Played On, is published.

1988 – The country’s first comprehensive needle exchange program is established in Tacoma, Washington.


1991 – The red ribbon is introduced as the national symbol of AIDS awareness. The NBA’s Earvin “Magic” Johnson announces he is HIV-positive with HIV and AIDS.

1995 – The FIRST protease inhibitor, saquinavir, is approved by the FDA, beginning highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV/AIDS.

Now, AIDS victims are waiting for the FIRST ever remedy for this deadly disease that affects estimated 40 billion people worldwide; more than half of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Most do not know they are infected.

No one is exempted with this serious incurable disease. So practice the SS “Safe Sex”, or the better way if you are not married SS “Self Service”. Protect yourself. No Needles. No unprotected sex. No unscreened blood transfusion.