History Of the Aids Virus

Introduction

The human race has encountered a disease that is the magnitude of a pandemic.  AIDS, as it is commonly referred to, is acquired immune deficiency syndrome that is caused as a result of the body being invaded by the HIV virus (human immunodeficiency virus), that affects the immune system.

There are several theories that try to explain the origin and the history of this condition, among them being the Patient Zero theory.  Patient Zero was a widely traveled man diagnosed with the symptoms like the current signs of an AIDS patient. He was a pilot who traveled across the globe and was promiscuous in his sexual behavior that was predisposing him to several sexually transmitted infections, among them the purported virus.

Another theory states that this pandemic started with homosexual men who were found in the New York and Los Angeles having pneumonia-like chest congestion problems in the year 1981. Other controversial theories have also been put forth, but no one knows the exact origin of this disease.

Some groups allege that the virus was genetically engineered by scientists in America. The origin as claimed in one of the recent findings of a book called "Tinderbox."  The book asserts that it is the western colonial powers that are to blame for the cause and spread of the deadly AIDS virus. They are accused of bringing it to Africa and being responsible for the spread of the deadly disease among other diseases like syphilis.

AIDS is a disease that has agonized the whole world for many years.  There is no known cure and scientists are working around the clock to come up with the solution to this pandemic.

It is transmitted through the exchange of bodily fluids (sexual contact, blood transfusions, sharing needles, etc.). The first stage is where the patient experiences mild cold and flue like symptoms, this is followed by asymptomatic stage with no outward visible clinical presentations but the virus is replicating and increases in number. Then there is the symptomatic stage where the opportunistic infections come in swollen glands, fever aching muscles, sore throat with weakened immunity and a reduction in the number of CD4 cells. The stage that follows this is the full blown AIDS that often kills the patient, but the time gap varies from an person to the other with other factors like nutrition also contributing to the time gap.

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