A year later, in 1982, AIDS began to be seen

A year later, in 1982, AIDS began to be seen in haemophiliacs and Haitians and the disease was renamed the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

At this time, little was know about the transmission of AIDS, but with the emergence of the disease in hemophiliacs, it became apparent that AIDS could be transmitted through blood products. With the appearance of AIDS in 1983 in women, it now became apparent that AIDS could be transmitted through both homosexual and heterosexual intercourse.

In the same year, scientists at the Institute Pasteur in Paris isolated a virus that they believed caused AIDS. However, little was made of this discovery in the scientific community.

Read on

• What is HIV?
• Understanding AIDS
• AIDS Epidemic Update January 2008

In 1984, a year later, it was announced that Dr. Robert Gallo of the National Cancer Institute had isolated the virus causing AIDS. However, in 1985 it was confirmed that the virus isolated by Dr. Gallo was the same one previously isolated by the Institute Pasteur. Later that year, the U.S Food and Drug Administration approved the first AIDS test.

Because of the initial association of AIDS with the gay community, AIDS sufferers had to deal with and continue to deal with stigma and discrimination in addition to the health aspects of the disease.

Even today with the progress in information and resources, AIDS sufferers in many parts of the world still bear the social burden of being HIV positive, therefore hampering their ability to manage the disease and lead productive lives. (please see for an article on human rights and AIDS ).