The Origins of HIV

Shame and HIV infection: A narrative review

“…Most researchers agree that the virus was transmitted to humans through monkeys -chimpanzees, initially in the regions of Central Africa, which carry the SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus), and which is quite similar to human HIV. SIV appears to have been mainly transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat or the use of contaminated blood in various practices, such as wound healing [3] The virus passed from Africa to Europe through trade, slave trade, sex trade and immigration, and from there to Asia and the Americas [4,2] The transmission of HIV infection seems to have been taking an epidemic form in Europe and America since the 1970s. The first USA announcement was issued by the US government in 1981 about the emergence of a new unknown until then disease, which mainly affected, homosexual men and intravenous drug users [5] It was initially considered that AIDS concerned only specific groups of people, with specific attitudes, mainly homosexual men, heroin users, Haitian immigrants to the Us and hemophiliac patients; they were dubbed as '4 H's' because of their initials, freeing AIDS from hitherto stereotypical notions [6,7] Transmission of the disease was subsequently observed between heterosexual couples, in newborns, in children and in multitransfused patients [8] Upon diagnosis of the disease, patients are to deal with stigma and usually hostile social reaction, experiencing a lot of discrimination, racism and shame in all aspects of their lives.…”