HIV 30th anniversary edition: Origins of HIV part 1

As mentioned in this article, June 5th marked the 30th anniversary of the first reported accounts to what later became known as HIV/AIDS. Over the past 30 years, millions of people globally have been affected by HIV, and many have dedicated their lives to HIV prevention, education, support and research. AIDS Calgary Awareness Association would like to acknowledge all of these individuals, as we recognize that without their support, participation or courage the fight against HIV would not be possible.

A few weeks ago I had a conversation about the origins of HIV with a well educated, socially conscious, wonderfully informed and non-judgemental friend. After describing how HIV is the naturally occurring human form of an ancient pathogen in monkeys, I noticed her expression was both surprised and a bit ashamed. “What did you think about the origins of HIV?” I asked, “There are many myths about it and believe me – I have heard them all!” Somewhat reluctantly, my friend described how she always thought HIV resulted from some lonely, randy person who found himself deep in the jungle without human companionship. More specifically - she, along with many others of our generation - believed that someone had sex with a monkey and proceeded to spread the virus among the human population. “I always thought it came from some unnatural act – you know someone doing something deviant” she explained.

My friend’s belief is not uncommon. More importantly, she had identified one of several misconceptions that work together to form a key component in the unprecedented stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. What could be more taboo than sexy times with a monkey? Well, it depends on your perspective. Other examples include: moral punishment, a gay plague, government conspiracy or biological terrorism. Shame and blame are subtle yet undeniable nuances in many people’s understanding of HIV and AIDS. Misunderstanding about the origins of the disease often adds to the confusion and discomfort surrounding the topic. What's more, stigma and myths can make it difficult for people to focus on the fact that this is a 100% preventable virus that continues to devastate communities across the globe.

First identified in the early 80’s, little was understood of the who, what, where, when, and how of HIV/AIDS. Questions and fears fuelled the fires of HIV/AIDS related stigma: stigma which is internationally recognized as the greatest barrier to addressing the pandemic. Over the past three decades science has come a long way towards understanding HIV. Unfortunately public opinion has not always followed suit. June 5th marked the 30th anniversary of the discovery of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. However, scientific evidence now illustrates that HIV and its viral ancestors have been around for much, much longer – tens of thousands of years in fact! Watch this space next week to read about recent research and current scientific knowledge about the origins of HIV and its eventual transmission in the human population.

This article was written by ACAA’s Community Engagement Coordinator.