History of AIDS
| AIDS and HIV are one of the major health concerns in today’s world. Though till date there no cure for this has been found, scientists and researchers are relentlessly working on it. The history of AIDS goes back as far back as 1878, since in April that year, the US had passed a 'Federal Quarantine Act'. |
A lot of sustained efforts have always been made by the US to find out the 'causes' of such epidemics. In 1981, HIV and AIDS were accepted as genuine diseases for the first time in history. Initially, the healthcare industry was under the impression that these viruses only affected homosexuals; hence they called it GRID, or gay-related immune deficiency. However, reports coming from different parts of the world showed and proved that this virus affected heterosexuals too, and the name GRID was lost soon enough. In 1982, the spread of this virus was associated with blood transfusions, and it was creating a serious impact of those who were suffering from hemophilia. The viruses soon got a new name - ‘the 4H disease’, since it was believed at that time that they only infected homosexuals, heroin addicts, Haitians and hemophiliacs.
However, Hollywood actor Rock Hudson’s death due to AIDS and HIV in 1985 was an eye opener of sorts. President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech to the nation and the world after Hudson’s demise and spoke openly about AIDS and HIV. He cautioned the public that both the diseases were fatal, and although in future there could be cures, at that point of time, they were incurable. Magic Johnson was another celebrity who was diagnosed with the virus in 1991.
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