Overview
AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, has been a major global health issue since its identification in the early 1980s. The disease is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which attacks the body's immune system, making it vulnerable to other infections and diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 38 million people worldwide were living with HIV in 2021, with 1.5 million new infections and 650,000 deaths from AIDS-related illnesses. The development of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly improved the quality of life for people living with HIV, but access to treatment remains a challenge, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The controversy surrounding the origins of HIV and the effectiveness of different treatment approaches continues to be debated. As of 2022, researchers are exploring new prevention methods, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and vaccines, to combat the ongoing pandemic, with the goal of achieving the United Nations' target of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.