ABSTRACT
This chapter responds many of the myths, misconceptions and misunderstanding of HIV/AIDS. It provides some basic information on infectious disease agents and the diseases they cause, along with some basic concepts of infectious disease epidemiology. The chapter suggests that there has been a general problem in assuming that everyone involved with or interested in AIDS and AIDS programs has a basic knowledge of infectious disease agents and infectious disease epidemiology. The development of laboratory tests to identify HIV infections enabled clinicians to study the natural history of HIV-infected persons. The major point the table demonstrates is that an infectious disease agent such as HIV which requires sex or blood contact for transmission from person to person cannot become a "generalized" epidemic agent. Primary immune deficiency is caused by genetic defects in the immune system. The major interaction identified is with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtbc), the etiologic agent or cause of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).
