The Eighties in America - Salem Press (2009)

Although the initial belief was that transmission
of the disease, cause still unknown, was somehow re-
lated to homosexual behaviors, it soon became ap-
parent that other means of transmission were also
likely—most notably through contaminated blood.
By the end of 1982, at which time more than six
hundred cases had been reported, it was clear that
intravenous (IV) drug abusers were at risk; cases
were also observed in several hemophiliacs, whose
only possible exposure had been through their use
of Factor VIII (blood-clotting) products obtained
from donated blood. The name of the illness was
also changed, reflecting its more widespread nature,
to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS.

The range of opportunistic infections associated

with the immune disorder was also widened to in-

clude illnesses such as fungal and other rare para-

sitic infections.

If there was any fortunate aspect associated with

the outbreak at the time, it involved a growing under-

standing of the unknown etiological agent’s method

of transmission. While it clearly could be transmitted

through sexual behaviors, as well as in contaminated

blood, it was not transmitted through the air. Victims

were classified by the CDC as falling into four specific

categories, including homosexual or bisexual males

(75 percent of known victims), IV drug abusers (13

percent), and hemophiliacs or transfusion recipients

The Eighties in America AIDS epidemic
39

AIDS Cases, Deaths, and Case-Fatality Rates in the

United States Through December, 1989

Adults/Adolescents Children Under 13

Interval Cases Diagnosed Deaths Cases Diagnosed Deaths

Before 1981 78 30 6 1

1981: Jan.-June 91 38 8 2

1981: July-Dec. 194 83 5 6

1982: Jan.-June 385 151 13 9

1982: July-Dec. 664 276 14 4

1983: Jan.-June 1,249 507 33 13

1983: July-Dec. 1,611 902 40 16

1984: Jan.-June 2,515 1,362 47 24

1984: July-Dec. 3,303 1,895 61 23

1985: Jan.-June 4,722 2,695 97 43

1985: July-Dec. 6,092 3,667 127 68

1986: Jan.-June 7,956 4,811 131 64

1986: July-Dec. 9,528 6,089 162 82

1987: Jan.-June 12,157 7,035 205 110

1987: July-Dec. 13,386 7,351 239 150

1988: Jan.-June 14,704 8,439 210 120

1988: July-Dec. 14,581 9,401 266 141

1989: Jan.-June 14,626 8,793 233 132

1989: July-Dec. 7,944 5,551 98 68

TOTAL* 115,786 69,233 1,995 1,080

*Death totals include 157 adults/adolescents and children known to have died but whose date of death is unknown.

Source:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, January, 1990.