ABSTRACT
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and its associated disease, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) swept into recognition like a modern day plague about a quarter of a century ago. It came as a disease with a lot of the initial attention focused on people in “high risk” groups such as intravenous drug abusers and homosexuals. It soon became clear that there was a high prevalence of the infection amongst so called ‘low risk” people who had acquired the infection through heterosexual contact. This led to wide spread dissemination of the disease particularly in developing countries and the problem has now reached epidemic proportions. Fortunately, the spread of the disease has been matched by concerted international research effort to effectively control it. This has led to the development of effective antiviral drug regimens that have dramatically improved the prognosis of people suffering with HIV/AIDS.
