Truth or myth: Three misunderstandings about the history of HIV and AIDS – Science – iTech



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Myth: The AIDS crisis triggered by a "blind person"

In 1982, scientists investigating a series of cases of this disease in southern California turned to patient O, using the letter "O" to represent a person outside of California. This patient had cancer called Kaposi's sarcoma, often badociated with the HIV virus. Because of the misunderstanding, the letter "O" later became the number "0", so in the society, the "patient" O "" became "Patient 0" or simply "patient patient" (Patient Zero).

Journalist Randy Shilts used his nickname "blind patient" in his book "And The Band Played On" (1987) to mark the first possible case of AIDS, namely the air hostess Gaiten Dougbadus , who would have probably been infected before 1980. Before his death in 1984, he was proud to have had hundreds of male partners. It is badociated with 40 other AIDS cases and is considered a major step in the spread of the virus.

However, in 2016, scientists found that Dugbad was not guilty of spreading the epidemic in North America. The study, published in the scientific journal Nature, confirmed that the strains of the virus present in the blood of Dugbad came from another person. The African virus may have arrived in Haiti in 1967, but in 1971 he arrived in New York from Haiti and moved to San Francisco in 1976.

The way the virus is spreading is still under study. The 2014 study indicates that the virus originated in Congo in the 1920s. In his book, The Origin of AIDS, published in 2011, Dr. Jacques Pepin wrote that the human virus had been in contact with chimpanzees in the Congolese forests in the 1960s.

Myth: AIDS was active only in New York, California and Washington

Although all the major groups fighting against the spread of AIDS, as well as public education, come from these American cities, it is not just a coastal phenomenon. Many less known but equally important activist groups have been active throughout the country.

A group of activists including actor, composer and playwright, Denny Turner, and a self-proclaimed AIDS posterist, Bobby Kempbell, was working in Denver. Both died later of AIDS.

Caricatur Danny Sotomere was active in Chicago, while Seattle teachers Bailey funded the Bailey Bush House, which has become a major contributor to AIDS patients. The house was named in honor of him and his partner, who died of AIDS in 1989.

Myth: The AIDS crisis is over

Although the number of AIDS-related deaths has decreased and treatment has become more effective, the issue of access to medicines remains a major challenge. Today, the number of AIDS deaths continues to increase in Eastern Europe and the Central Asian region, as well as in the Middle East and North Africa. It is estimated that more than 120,000 people were infected with AIDS in 2017 in these areas, up from 60,000 in 2000.

By contrast, Russia has the highest number of HIV infections in the region. Between the years 80 and 2016, the number of cases reached one million. The first case was recorded in Moscow in 1987. 39% of the patients registered in 2017 were drug addicts.

The situation of AIDS patients in Russia is poor. The intolerance of homobaduals, the poor living conditions of many people and the fact that HIV-infected centers are often the target of terrorism only exacerbate the situation.

However, it does not matter what the situation is in the world, because although current medications allow prolonged infections, there is still no vaccine or drug for this disease. Although AIDS is a long and scary disease, ending the AIDS crisis would mean it would be too early.

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