What is HIV?

On June 5, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) publish a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), describing cases of a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), in five young, previously healthy, gay men in Los Angeles. All the men have other unusual infections as well, indicating that their immune systems are not working; two have already died by the time the report is published. This edition of the MMWR marks the first official reporting of what will become known as the AIDS epidemic. By year-end, there is a cumulative total of 270 reported cases of severe immune deficiency among gay men, and 121 of those individuals have died.

In January, AIDS was reported among the female partners of men who had the disease suggesting it could be passed on via heterosexual sex.

By September, the CDC identified all major routes of transmission and ruled out transmission by casual contact, food, water, air or surfaces.

By the end of the year the number of AIDS cases in the USA had risen to 3,064 – of this number, 1,292 had died.

In March 1985, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensed the first commercial blood test, ELISA, to detect antibodies to the virus. Blood banks began to screen the USA blood supply.

Ryan White, a teenager from Indiana, USA who acquired AIDS through contaminated blood products used to treat his hemophilia was banned from school.

On 2 October, the actor Rock Hudson dies from AIDS – the first high profile fatality. He left $250,000 to set up the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).

In February, the World Health Organization  (WHO) launches The Global Program on AIDS to: raise awareness; formulate evidence-based policies; provide technical and financial support to countries; initiate relevant social, behavioral, and biomedical research; promote participation by nongovernmental organizations; and champion the rights of those living with HIV.

In March, the FDA approved the first antiretroviral drug, zidovudine (AZT), as treatment for HIV.

In August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) hold the first National Conference on HIV and Communities of Color in New York.

In October, the AIDS Memorial Quilt is displayed for the first time on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The display features 1,920 4×8 panels and draws half a million visitors. Also in October, AIDS became the first illness debated in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

By December, 71,751 cases of AIDS had been reported to the WHO, with 47,022 of these in the USA. The WHO estimated that 5-10 million people were living with HIV worldwide.

In 1991, the Visual AIDS Artists Caucus launched the Red Ribbon Project to create a symbol of compassion for people living with HIV and their carers. The red ribbon became an international symbol of AIDS awareness.

On 7 November, professional basketball player Earvin (Magic) Johnson announced he had HIV and retired from the sport, planning to educate people about the virus.

A couple of weeks later, Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the rock group Queen, announced he had AIDS and died a day later.

1995

In June, the FDA approved the first protease inhibitor beginning a new era of highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART). Once incorporated into clinical practice HAART brought about an immediate decline of between 60% and 80% in rates of AIDS-related deaths and hospitalization in those countries which could afford it.

By the end of the year, there were an estimated 4.7 million new HIV infections.

1996

In 1996, the Joint United Nations Program on AIDS (UNAIDS) was established to advocate for global action on the epidemic and coordinate the response to HIV and AIDS across the UN.

By the end of 1996, the estimated number of people living with HIV was 23 million.

2000

In July, UNAIDS negotiated with five pharmaceutical companies to reduce antiretroviral drug prices for developing countries.

2001

In June 2001, the UN General Assembly called for the creation of a “global fund” to support efforts by countries and organizations to combat the spread of HIV through prevention, treatment, and care including buying medication.

After generic drug manufacturers, such as Cipla in India, began producing discounted, generic forms of HIV medicines for developing countries, several major pharmaceutical manufacturers agreed to further reduce drug prices.

In November, the World Trade Organization (WTO) announced the Doha Declaration which allowed developing countries to manufacture generic medications to combat public health crises like HIV.

2010

In January, the travel ban preventing people living with HIV from entering the U.S. was lifted.

Results from the iPrEx trial showed a reduction in HIV acquisition of 44% among men who have sex with men who took pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

2011

In 2011, results from the HPTN 052 trial showed that early initiation of antiretroviral treatment reduced the risk of HIV transmission by 96% among couples compiled of a HIV positive person and a HIV negative person (also known as magnetic couples).

2012

In July 2012, the FDA approved PrEP for HIV-negative people to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.