AIDS was first identified in 1981, and HIV, the causative agent of AIDS, was identified and isolated two years later. Not only is this virus known to have fatal clinical consequences due to the damage it causes to the immune system, but HIV also promotes the development of other opportunistic diseases that would otherwise be controlled by the body. These include tuberculosis, some types of skin cancer, pneumonia, and recurrent diarrhea. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayHIV appears to have spread widely in the late 1970s among men and women with multiple partners, particularly in Central and Eastern Africa, as well as in the male population and drug users of some urban areas of the Americas, Europe western Australia and New Zealand. Today the virus is spreading to all countries and most cases involve heterosexual individuals. In both relative and absolute terms, sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world most affected by the epidemic. Of the 22 million adults living with HIV at the end of 1996, 14 million were from this part of Africa, representing more than 60% of the world total. AIDS produces complex and far-reaching effects on the functioning of the immune system. African societies. For many reasons it is impossible and even dangerous to view HIV solely as a public health problem. In the affected countries, the epidemic has a devastating impact on the entire social body. It not only disrupts the living conditions of individuals and communities, but also undermines the main political, social and economic institutions necessary for the development of countries. It also affects delicate aspects of social life: the relationship with illness and death, with sexuality, with family and motherhood, or with the use of drugs. For these reasons, it is systematically associated with issues related to tradition, morality, social rules and religious norms. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Furthermore, the epidemic is also a political problem. The fight against AIDS is above all a question of will and commitment on the part of the government. No effective response can be given without strong government action. While in principle everyone agrees to declare AIDS as one of the major priorities of the turn of the millennium for future developing countries, in reality many obstacles still singularly reduce the intensity of the epidemic and the response public..