Then & Now

A Guide to HIV/AIDS

Words by Kalib Kiser & Angela Molina Infographic Information Sourced From hiv.gov

HIV/AIDS has occupied a fearful space in the minds of many for over 40 years - and for good reason. In 1979 and 1980, doctors in Los Angeles and New York treated an increasing number of cases involving rare forms of pneumonia, cancer and other deadly illnesses. Then, in 1983, the virus causing these ailments was discovered, and the HIV/AIDS pandemic was in full swing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that since then, nearly 700,000 people have died of HIV/ AIDS in the United States alone. According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), gay and bisexual men account for only 2% of the U.S. population but make up nearly 55% of all people living with HIV/AIDS in the country. The HRC also reports that if current rates of diagnosis continue, 1 in 6 gay and bisexual men will be living with HIV in their lifetime. This prediction is even higher for Latino and black men, which is projected to be 1 in 4 and 1 in 2, respectively. Although manageable treatment is becoming increasingly available, a cure to the virus has yet to be found. Despite this, HIV/AIDS has become yesterday’s epidemic for many in the affluent world. Several decades worth of drug development produced medications that allow many to continue living normal lives. However, HIV/AIDS still claims many lives. The CDC reports that since the beginning of the global pandemic in 1981, 77.3 million people contracted HIV and 35.4 million died of AIDS-related illnesses. How is it possible that such a deadly disease with no cure lost its hold on the public’s attention? Today, the terms HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) are mistakenly used interchangeably. AIDS is the final stage of the overall HIV infection. HIV is the virus. It has no cure and, without treatment, can severely weaken the immune system. According to the CDC, it attacks the body’s T-cells, and, if left untreated, the virus can destroy so many of these cells that the body cannot fight off infections. AIDS itself does not kill. It is the contraction of another illness while the immune system is ineffective that leads to death, the CDC reports. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the virus possesses the ability to hide within the body’s tissues, resurfacing and receding time and time again. It is also able to mutate rapidly, in some cases changing completely from person to person. This is what allows the virus to become drug-resistant and is also why a vaccine has not been made. Safe sex is the best method to prevent HIV transmission, and the first step is being aware of your own body. There are many free sexually transmitted disease (STD) screening tests available, as well as affordable same-day testing at some private clinics. Once you know you are uninfected or are managing an STD with the guidance of your doctor, Planned Parenthood advises using a male or female condom, dental dam or other form of protection. However, it is still possible for a person who has HIV or another STD to have sex. The Terrence Higgins Trust states that using protection, clear communication and medical treatment can drastically reduce the risk of transmitting HIV between partners. Transmission of HIV can occur through unprotected sex, blood transfusions, passing of the virus from mother to fetus during pregnancy and sharing needles or other equipment used in intravenous drug use, hiv.gov reports. According to The Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), the only five body fluids that are capable of transmission are blood, semen (including precum), rectal fluid, vaginal fluid and breast milk. Any of these fluids can be passed to another person through broken skin, the opening of the penis or the wet linings of the body such as the vagina, rectum or foreskin. Contrary to persisting misconceptions, HIV cannot be spread by talking, shaking hands, hugging, kissing, sneezing, coughing, swimming pools, toilet seats or any other public interaction that is only capable of spreading a small amount of fluid, hiv.gov reports. By taking the initiative to inform new generations about preventable disease and safe sex practices, many people have been able to avoid contracting HIV/AIDS. However, many people across the world are still unaware of the illness in detail and the ways in which it can be avoided. Continuing to inform people about the disease, ways to prevent it and available treatment options are effective tools in reducing the number of transmissions and, in turn, the number of deaths. Although an effective cure that can be used to treat every patient has not yet been discovered, there have been two cases in which people living with HIV were cured. Timothy Ray Brown, known as The Berlin Patient, was the first person to ever be completely cured of HIV in 2008 with a stem cell transplant to treat leukemia, NCBI reports. In March 2019, a second person, referred to only as The London Patient, was cured of the infection with a bone marrow transplant. While such treatments are not likely to develop into a widespread cure, these two cases, in addition to the ever-increasing knowledge and spread of information, show that treatment is not impossible. For many, it provides hope.

HIV resources can be found at the following locations:

Kent State University Deweese Health Center Free, confidential HIV testing for students, faculty and staff 330-672-2320 Planned Parenthood, Kent Health Center Offers HIV testing, education and referrals. Contact the center for pricing information. Some HIV services may be covered by your insurance. 330-678-3877 Community Aids Network / Akron Pride Initiative (CANAPI) Houses the SSOULE (Survivors Sharing Our Unique Life Experiences) Group which provides support and resources to those living with HIV. Call to RSVP. 330-794-5289 Equitas Health Akron Free, confidential HIV testing. Call to schedule an appointment. Walk-in: Wednesday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. By appointment: Monday - Friday 330-333-7117 AHF Taskforce of Greater Cleveland Free, confidential HIV testing. AHF counselors are available on a walk-in basis. 216-357-3131

1980 1990

June 1981 CDC’s “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report” details “five young, white, previously healthy gay men” from Los Angeles whose immune systems are not working. This has been referred to as the first reporting of the AIDS epidemic. January 1982 The Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) is founded in New York City. It is the “first community-based AIDS servic e provider in the U.S.” Other AIDS activism groups, such as the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACTUP), are founded in the following years. September 1983 The CDC determines all major causes of transmission of AIDS, including unprotected sex, intravenous drug use, mother-to-child transmission and blood transfusions. March 1987 The FDA approves the first medical treatment for AIDS. The antiretroviral drug, zidovudine (AZT), was “initially developed to treat cancer.” 1994 AIDS “becomes the leading cause of death for all Americans ages 25 to 44.”

2000 2010 2020

November 2002 The FDA “approves the first rapid diagnostic test kit for use in the United States.” The test provides results within 20 minutes with 99.6% accuracy. March 2010 Former President Barack Obama signs the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, which offers special protections for those with chronic illnesses, such as HIV. Under these protections, people living with HIV cannot be denied access to health insurance due to pre-existing conditions. 15 July 2012 The FDA approves the medication Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment. PrEP can be used by individuals who have had exposure to the virus to reduce their risk of contracting it. March 2019 Following the case of the “Berlin Patient,” researchers announce that the “London Patient” has been successfully cured of HIV. The patient “received a bone marrow transplant from someone who is genetically immune to HIV” and has had no detectable HIV infection for the last three years.