HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the cause of AIDS. HIV is a virus that steadily weakens the body's defense (immune) system until it can no longer fight off infections such as pneumonia, diarrhea, tumors and other illnesses. Since it was first reported in 1981, HIV has become a major worldwide epidemic. Following this discovery, the first test for HIV was approved in 1985. Over the next several years medications to combat the virus were developed as well as medicines to prevent infections that flourish when the immune systems is damaged by HIV and AIDS. However, HIV today remains a worldwide epidemic with 38.6 million people worldwide are living with HIV.