Solving the Mystery Epidemic (aids)

Solving the Mystery Epidemic

The first case of AIDS was diagnosed in South Africa, but by this time millions were already affected. In June of 1981 when the CDC published the first AIDS article in the MMWR, was a time where AIDS was brought to the attention on Americans. The risk profile of initial cases of AIDS mainly included homosexual men. Many of these men had lost tremendously amounts of weight, and were also having shortness in breaths. When one doctor discovered that one patient had a rare form of pneumonia that was usually cause from a weak immune system, questions were raised. After this many similar cases began to come in involving homosexual men. Most early cases of AIDS had patients dying within a few months, now patients can live a lot longer with antibiotics. Over time the CDC began to notice AIDS was occurring in very large cities that were known to be the center of homosexual lifestyle. Eventually this risk profile began to spread past homosexual. This was due to some cases where married men would have sexual relationships with homosexual men when away for work. Some factors that played a role in this change was that while men were away working they were away from their wives for long periods of time. This caused them to have sexual relations with men, and this is how this disease moved from not just involving homosexual men, but heterosexuals as well. In terms of person, place, and time this epidemic would be defined as the risk group being gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men. Also heterosexuals and injection drug users. The place where the first case of AIDS was diagnosed was in South Africa, in the early 1980's.

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