In This Month: April

The AIDS Virus is Discovered
On 23rd April 1984, US Health Secretary Margaret Heckler announced the discovery of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS (Aquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). The virus, which was originally called HTLV-3, was related to a virus discovered by French scientists a year earlier. When announcing the discovery, Heckler said a vaccine for AIDS would be available within two years – no such vaccine has been developed (although there are several in trials).

There are around 33 million people living with the virus worldwide and there have been more than 25 million deaths from AIDS, according to the United Nations in a November 2007 report. The virus is transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.