The first AIDS cases were diagnosed 40 years ago – but at that time there was neither the name AIDS nor more precise information about the cause of the immune deficiency disease. Since then, 36.3 million people have died of AIDS worldwide, but significant progress has also been made in combating the disease:
1981: First AIDS alarm
On June 5, 1981, the CDC reported a rare form of pneumonia in young homosexuals in California. It is the first official warning about AIDS – at the time, however, nobody knew that it was a new disease. In late 1981, health officials found the same infections in drug users, and in mid-1982 in hemophiliacs receiving blood transfusions and in Haitians who immigrated to the United States.
Correspondingly, “4H” disease is initially spoken of, which stands for homosexuals, heroin addicts, Haitians and “hemophiles”. The name AIDS was coined in 1982 and is the abbreviation of “acquired immune deficiency syndrome”.
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1983: Discovery of the AIDS virus
In January 1983, the researchers Françoise Barré-Sinoussi and Jean-Claude Chermann isolated a new virus at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, which they call LAV and which they believe “could be involved” in AIDS. On April 23, 1984, the USA announced that the US virologist Robert Gallo had found the “probable” AIDS pathogen, a virus baptized HTLV-III. LAV and HTLV-III ultimately turn out to be the same pathogen that was given the name Human Immunodeficiency Virus in 1986, or HIV for short.
1987: First treatment against AIDS
On March 20, 1987, the first antiretroviral therapy with zidovudine was approved in the USA. It is expensive and has significant side effects.
At the beginning of the 90s: AIDS is becoming more and more popular
The US actor Rock Hudson became the first star to die of AIDS in October 1985. This is followed by Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in November 1991 and ballet star Rudolf Nureyev in January 1993.
In 1994, AIDS became the leading cause of death in the United States between the ages of 25 and 44.
1995-96: Beginning of combination therapies against AIDS
In 1995 and 1996, the introduction of two types of drugs marked a turning point in AIDS therapy: protease inhibitors and reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTIs). This is the beginning of combination antiretroviral therapies, which are proving to be very effective against HIV. In 1996 the number of AIDS victims in the USA fell for the first time.
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1999: 50 million people infected with AIDS
A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN AIDS Program (UNAIDS) published in November 1999 states that 50 million people have been infected with the HIV virus worldwide since the first onset of AIDS. 16 million of them died. Africa is the hardest hit continent with 12.2 million people infected.
2001: Generics
After the signing of an agreement between UNAIDS and five pharmaceutical giants in 2000 to distribute affordable AIDS drugs in poor countries, a compromise was reached in the World Trade Organization (WTO) the following year. Developing countries are now allowed to manufacture inexpensive copycat products for AIDS drugs, so-called generics.
2012: First preventive treatment against AIDS
On July 16, 2012, the first preventive treatment for HIV was approved in the USA. The so-called HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for people not infected with HIV consists of an antiretroviral drug cocktail with the trade name Truvada. Treatment in which people at high risk of HIV infection take a tablet as a preventive measure has established itself as an effective protection.
2017: Therapy for a good 50 percent of those infected with AIDS
In 2017, for the first time, more than half of those who carry HIV will receive antiretroviral treatment. According to UN figures, the proportion has risen to around three quarters to date: 27.5 million of 37.7 million people infected worldwide are receiving suitable therapy.
2020/21: Effects of the corona pandemic
The global spread of the coronavirus and the restrictions imposed on it are putting the UNAIDS goal of ending AIDS as a threat to public health by 2030 at risk. Because of the pandemic, access to health systems, AIDS tests and therapies is restricted around the world.