The virus was first documented discovered by Dr. Louis Montagnier, who resided in France in 1983. Although, the cases identified in the United States were not the first known cases after physician’s started taking a closer look at undiagnosed cases. Robert R. a teenager in St. Louis in 1969 entered the hospital with shortness of breath and infections, and passed shortly after (Bell). Additionally, in Central Africa in the middle of the 1970’s, there were reports of people deteriorating, and Danish surgeon, Grethe Rask passed away from PCP in 1977.
There are many rumors or myths surrounding how virus formed, some speculate it was biological warfare in the 1950’s, unknown pathogens unrelated to the HIV virus, excess use of drugs and sex collapsing …show more content…
The physicians evaluated the risk and benefits of using the blood transfusions and clearly understood the risks. If the outcome was death, without a transfusion the physicians by passed the normal protocol for evaluating the donor and the necessary lab tests that are required. The physicians generally practiced Western medicine and knew the risks associated with blood transfusions in Africa. As the practice of transfusions grew, so did the new development of other related risks associated, such as Hepatitis B and the discovery in 1965. It was quite evident that this disease was transmitted as a direct result of a blood transfusion. Beginning in the 1970’s there was an increase in government assistance to Africa from societies such as the WHO and League of the Red Cross. These groups primary focus was directly related to financial support for increase supply of blood products, and not related to the risks associated with the screening and transfusion process. In the mid-1980’s in Africa, the direct concerns were never linked to the discovery of HIV, but the lack of supply readily available. As Juhan Leikola, indicated in 1988 that the per hundred thousand transfusions performed in Africa was significantly less than those performed within America and
There are many rumors or myths surrounding how virus formed, some speculate it was biological warfare in the 1950’s, unknown pathogens unrelated to the HIV virus, excess use of drugs and sex collapsing …show more content…
The physicians evaluated the risk and benefits of using the blood transfusions and clearly understood the risks. If the outcome was death, without a transfusion the physicians by passed the normal protocol for evaluating the donor and the necessary lab tests that are required. The physicians generally practiced Western medicine and knew the risks associated with blood transfusions in Africa. As the practice of transfusions grew, so did the new development of other related risks associated, such as Hepatitis B and the discovery in 1965. It was quite evident that this disease was transmitted as a direct result of a blood transfusion. Beginning in the 1970’s there was an increase in government assistance to Africa from societies such as the WHO and League of the Red Cross. These groups primary focus was directly related to financial support for increase supply of blood products, and not related to the risks associated with the screening and transfusion process. In the mid-1980’s in Africa, the direct concerns were never linked to the discovery of HIV, but the lack of supply readily available. As Juhan Leikola, indicated in 1988 that the per hundred thousand transfusions performed in Africa was significantly less than those performed within America and