Most people have heard of HIV/AIDS, but many do not know what it is.

HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is believed to have appeared in the human population in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the 1920s. The chimpanzees that carried the related SIV virus (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus) were hunted by the African tribes and transferred the virus through blood contact.

In a human’s body, the virus takes over the cell's machinery so that it could reproduce, causing a disease called AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This greatly weakens the body’s immunity because it kills off defense cells and mechanisms. AIDS is one of the most deadly diseases in human history as it causes humans to be extremely vulnerable to a vast range of diseases. People with AIDS have weight loss, night sweats, fatigue, and recurrent infections.

By the 1980s, HIV spread to five continents. Little was known about the disease or symptoms. HIV can spread through contact with infected blood or sexual fluids. Therefore, even babies who are born from infected individuals are likely to have AIDS. Today, AIDS affects all regions of the world, especially low to middle income countries. Although treatments to slow down the HIV virus do exist, there is still no cure to AIDS. Furthermore, treatment is too expensive for low income countries. Many people still do not understand the symptoms of HIV, and this may pose a significant issue to the human population. In 2015, while 36.7 million people have HIV, 40% of them do not know of their status.

Due to a lack of awareness and cures, AIDS will only continue to increase unless we take action.