The History of the Condom

Background Condoms are a barrier method of contraception that can prevent unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted infections. A male condom is a thin sheath that is placed over the user’s erect penis before sexual activity to prevent direct contact of the penis with the partner’s skin, mucosa, and genital secretions.1 Though not…

A Timeline of HIV/AIDS

*This timeline primarily focuses on the AIDS epidemic as it was in the United States. For details on the origin of HIV/AIDS, click here. 1981 A cluster of patients in the United States are reported with a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, and a rare type of cancer, Kaposi’s sarcoma. These conditions are usually…

The Origin of HIV/AIDS

The Origin of HIV/AIDS In 1981, the first reported cases of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) came to light in the United States. After many years of research into this new disease, scientists discovered human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and found evidence that this virus led to AIDS.1 While a novel popularized one man, Patient Zero,…