Origin of AIDS and HIV - First Cases of AIDS

HIV and AIDS have been astonishing the science community around the world for over 20 years now. The first cases of AIDS were reported in the United States among the gay population, and the disease did not respond to any kind of treatment. Soon enough, it got a name and recognition for itself, while the world is still trying to deal with its effects. History and Origin

HIV, the type of virus that attacks the immune system and causes AIDS, is a slow type of virus, called lentivirus, which takes a while to show any negative effects on the body. Lentiviruses are found in animals, and a specific SIV virus that is believed to be the predecessor to HIV has been present in monkeys for over 32 000 years. In addition, it is very common for viruses to cross species, which is a process called zoonosis.

Where Did It Come From?

There are many theories as to how zoonosis of SIV happened, one of the most likely origins of HIV, and one of these is the ‘hunter’ theory. According to the hunter theory, a form of SIV at some point entered the body of a hunter who was killing monkeys for food, either through ingestion or via blood of the wounds. There are still cases of animal viruses being transferred to hunters to this day.

Further, there is a theory that states the HIV was first transferred to humans through the process of medical interventions. In particular, it is believed that the oral polio vaccines played a crucial part when in the 1950’s they were orally given to over a million people in Africa, but were previously cultivated in kidney cells taken from monkeys believed to have been infected by SIV. Those who dispute this theory claim that the virus had to have entered the body of a human through blood, as the tissue in the mouth would have fought it off, while others claim the chimps never had SIV.

Also, some people support the so called ‘infected needle theory’, which is similar to the ‘hunter theory’. In the 1950’s Africa, it was a common practice to use one syringe on more than one person without sterilizing it in between due to the high costs of such practice. This would have created the perfect conditions for any kind of virus to mutate and spread around.

The colonialism theory, one of the more recent ones proposed in the early 2000s, states that the HIV virus originated in Africa in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when most of the continent was occupied by colonial powers and the majority of people were held captive and forced to work in concentration camps. The living conditions were brutal, the health care minimal, and a strain of the SIV virus could have easily be transferred to people. Prostitution was common, medical supplies were not being sterilized, and the HIV virus would have taken years to activate and show its signs, if ever. As a result, even if people did get sick with AIDS during this time they would not stand out in any way out of the sick bunch. These camps were organized around the time when the virus is believed to have been transferred to humans, with all the records of their existence burnt to cover the fact that half of the population of Africa was wiped out as a result.

Prevention

It is estimated that over a million people are suffering from AIDS in the United States and over half a million have died so far as a result of AIDS related complications. There are many factors that helped the spread of the HIV virus, and it is imperative that people be aware what those factors are, and to try and slow down the spread for that is the only way to prevent it. International travel played a major role in the spread of the HIV virus during the 1970’s and 1980’s, especially among the young gay population. In any case, a spread like this takes many years, and individuals involved so it is impossible to pinpoint when and where it happened exactly, but safe sex must always be practices in order to stop the spread.

In addition, as blood demands started to increase around the world, people were enticed to give blood in exchange for money in the US. This practice often attracted those most desperate for cash, among them intravenous drug users. Through blood transfusions the spread of the HIV virus around the world was eminent, as no one knew how quickly and easily the development would occur. It is imperative that all medical equipment always be sterilized in dealing with any kind of interventions, while at the same time making sure any blood transfusions are safe and virus free. In the 1970’s, after the Vietnam War and other conflicts in the Middle East, heroin started to spread around the world, and so did the HIV virus through the use of unsterilized syringes. In order to prevent drug users from increasing the number of people infected by HIV they need to have access to sterilized syringes and never share them amongst each other.