HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that causes AIDS, also known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and is one of the largest epidemics in the world to date.
AIDS was first identified in the United States in 1981 and in 1984, three years after scientists identified AIDS, they discovered its causative agent to be HIV. HIV-1 is thought to have originated from a virus discovered in West African chimpanzees in 1930s and was later transmitted to humans in the 1930s through blood transfusion during bushmeat trading. But it wasn’t until the early 1980s, that the world became aware of HIV and AIDS.
Key events and discoveries regarding HIV and AIDS from the 1980s to the present include-
1981: Discovery of AIDS-
Initially, the first cases of AIDS emerged as rare types of pneumonia and cancer in gay men, which led people to believe that only gay men could contract AIDS. Initially, AIDS was called “GRID,” or "gay-related immunodeficiency," by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cases were also encountered and reported among intravenous drug users by the end of the year.
1982: Occurrence of The First Case Of AIDS-
In 1982, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a case definition naming this condition Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). While, in Canada the first case of AIDS was reported in March 1982, In 1982, it was recognized that AIDS is a sexually transmitted infection and is caused by HIV. Cases were also encountered and reported in the recipients of blood transfusions.
1983: Synchronizing High Risk Groups Of AIDS-
In March 1983, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that particular groups were at higher risks for HIV than other groups of the population. The media later classified these groups as the “4-H club.” They included:
• Gay men
• Hemophiliacs
• Heroin users
• Haitians or people of Haitian descent
By the end of 1983, researchers had found that women could contract HIV through heterosexual sex.
Public Response To AIDS-
The societal response was immensely negative in the initial few years of the AIDS epidemic.
In 1983, in New York, Dr. Joseph Sonnabend, a South African Physician was threatened for treating HIV infected patients, leading to the first AIDS discrimination lawsuit. Bathhouses across the country were closed due to sexual activities and their associated risks. Children with HIV were barred from attending schools.
In 1985, blood banks in America started screening for HIV and men who had sex with men were banned from donating blood.
It was discovered in 1986, that HIV could be acquired by the child through the mother by breastfeeding.
In 1987, visitors and immigrants with HIV were enforced with a travel ban by the government of the United States, and President Barack Obama later lifted this ban in 2010.
Showbiz Industry Opens Up Conversation About AIDS-
Actor Rock Hudson became the first major public figure to come out with AIDS in 1985. While in 1987 Princess Diana shook hands with an HIV-positive man and this instance broke out conversations on AIDS and made international headlines.
In 1991, the singer for the band Queen and pop culture icon Freddie Mercury, passed away from AIDS-related illness. Since that time, several other public figures and celebrities have revealed that they’re HIV-positive, which include:
• Tennis star Arthur Ashe
• Former basketball star
•Entrepreneur Magic Johnson
• Actor Charlie Sheen announced his condition on the national television in 2015.
• Singer and actor Billy Porter
The evolution of research and treatment-
In September 1985, President Ronald Reagan announced AIDS related research as “a top priority” in the USA.
In 1987, The U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved AZT as the first anti-retroviral drug.
In 1996, researcher Dr. Mark Wainberg helped develop 3TC, which is a combination drug therapy being used to treat HIV which effectively reduced AIDS-related death rates by 60%–80% in the population.
In 1996, researchers at the 11th International Conference on AIDS introduced the concept of highly active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) commonly known as Antiretroviral Therapy. It is a medication regimen used to manage and treat human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and is composed of several drugs (at least three medications daily) in the antiretroviral classes of medications.
In 1997, the FDA approved Combivir which combines the drugs Zidovudine and Lamivudine into a single medication thus making the HIV medication a lot easier to consume.
In November 2002, the first rapid HIV diagnostic test kit was approved by the FDA. It allows hospitals to provide results with 99.6 percent accuracy within 20 minutes. OraQuick, the test manufactory, later developed a version that’s suitable for home use.
Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)-
In July 2012, emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Truvada) were approved by the FDA for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This prevention method requires taking the medication daily and has been shown to lower the risk of contracting HIV. Healthcare professionals recommend PrEP for people who are in a relationship with a partner infected with HIV. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends it for everyone with known and increased risk factors for HIV.
Current Treatment and Prevention-
Cabotegravir (Vocabria) and cabotegravir/rilpivirine (Cabenuva) were approved by FDA recently in January 2021.
Cabenuva, is the first FDA-approved monthly injectable medication for HIV. Nearly 50 brand-name treatment options for HIV were approved by the FDA by the August 2021.
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis-
In 2005, the CDC released guidelines to the general public for the use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Within 72hrs of possible exposure, people on PEP must begin a combination of antiretroviral medications and the treatment lasts for about 28 to 30 days. PEP may reduce HIV risk by 80 percent.
A Cure For AIDS-
In 2007, Timothy Ray Brown after receiving a stem cell transplant to help treat his leukemia became the first person to be cured of HIV. Brown's viral load went undetected until he died from leukemia in 2020. A similar case came to light in 2019 when Adam Castillejo, originally identified as “the London patient,” had also received a stem cell transplant to help treat his cancer.
Bringing The Epidemic to an End-
In 2019, the Department of Health and Human Services launched the goal to end the HIV epidemic. The goals include reducing new infections by 75 percent by 2025 and by at least 90 percent by 2030. Only a couple handful of people around the globe have been deemed cured of HIV, but antiretroviral therapy HAART has led to an increase in the overall life expectancy of HIV-positive people.
References-
https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/history/hiv-and-aids-timeline
https://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/2021/2019-national-hiv-surveillance-system-reports.html
https://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/aids-d1.htm
https://hivinfo.nih.gov/understanding-hiv/fact-sheets/fda-approved-hiv-medicines
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv/fda-approves-cabenuva-and-vocabria-treatment-hiv-1-infection
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv/fda-approves-cabenuva-and-vocabria-treatment-hiv-1-infection
https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/hiv-prevention/using-hiv-medication-to-reduce-risk/pre-exposure-prophylaxis
