1959-1980
The early years of the epidemic are characterized by
confusion about the disease's origin and means of transmission. The need for
NMAC became apparent early.
1920-1950s
There is a great deal of contention concerning the exact origin of HIV in human
beings. Scientists generally believe that humans contracted the disease through
contact with chimpanzees carrying SIV, which is genetically related to the most
common form of HIV (HIV-1, called group M) found in the world today.
(Indeed, research strongly suggests that all known strains of HIV are
genetically related to HIV-1.)
It is believed that AIDS, the disease caused by HIV, was
isolated to small, remote villages
in Africa, particularly those located in the
country of Cameroon.
Forced resettlement, increased trade and the advent of modern travel in
Colonial Africa helped spread the disease throughout the continent and,
eventually, the world.
Today, AIDS in Africa is
primarily caused by HIV-2, which is believed to have
originated from sooty
mangabeys, a type of African monkey (see picture to the right.)
AIDS arrived in the United
States later, between 1960-1971, in the form
of HIV commonly called subgroup B.
(For more information, read Paul Recer's article: Study: HIV Began in
1930s Africa.)
1959
This year marked the first death that could be attributed to HIV/AIDS. The man
was from the Congo.
For more information, read the following Nature article online: "An
African HIV-1 Sequence from 1959 and Implications for the Origin of the Epidemic,"
Feb. 5, 1998. Zhu T, Korber BT, Nahmias AJ, Hooper E, Sharp PM and Ho DD. in
Nature 391: 594-597.
A 49-year-old Haitian-born shipping clerk dies of Pneumocystis
carinii pneumonia (PCP), which Dr. Gordon Hennigar attributes later to
AIDS, based on a postmortem examination.
1969
Doctors are baffled by the mysterious death of a teenage boy, known as Robert
R. In 1987, molecular biologists, at Tulane
University in New Orleans, attribute his death to AIDS.
(See the New
York Times article.)
1978-1980
Reports from the United States,
Sweden, Tanzania and Haiti emerge about an illness that
severely undermines the immune system. In the U.S.
and Sweden, the disease
primarily impacts gay men, while in Tanzania
and Haiti
only heterosexuals seemed to be infected.
In 1980, there are 31 known deaths from this
mysterious illness. By the end of the following year, that number would reach 234.