A Deadly Discovery: The Race to Identify the AIDS Virus
The First Reports and a Growing Global Crisis
In 1981, a mysterious illness began to claim lives, particularly impacting marginalized communities. This illness first officially emerged in a
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report detailed a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis pneumonia, witnessed in five gay men in Los Angeles. While rare pneumocystis pneumonia usually presented as a mild illness in healthy adults, these cases were severe and ultimately fatal.
The presence of this unusual infection in young, previously healthy individuals raised alarms. These cases were soon joined by others presenting with a constellation of unusual illnesses usually associated with weakened immune systems. This burgeoning public health crisis, characterized by unusual infections and a decline in immune function, became known as precursor to AIDS.
Adding to the alarm was the limited understanding of the cause of this strange new disease. While scientists suspected a viral cause, they didn’t have a smoking gun. Political inaction and societal stigma surrounding the significant impact on marginalized communities, especially gay men, hampered early research efforts.
A French Breakthrough and the Race to Discover the Culprit
By 1982, researchers had committed themselves to a frantic race to identify the cause. Among them was a team led by French virologist Luc Montagnier at the Pasteur Institute in Paris.
“After my doctorate at King’s College in London, I joined the Pasteur Institute as a postdoctoral researcher in Luc Montagnier’s unit,” said Ara Hovanessian, former Lebanese research director at the CNRS of France. “Professor Montagnier was a remarkable researcher in virology and cell biology. With my training in biochemistry, I joined his team to provide the skills and techniques necessary to advance our research. I quickly became his right-hand man.”
By analyzing samples taken from
patients suffering from lymphadenopathy – a symptom characterized by swollen lymph nodes and linked to the later identified AIDS – Montagnier’s team achieved a groundbreaking breakthrough. Later that year, in May 19, 1983, they isolated a new virus and proposed its link to the emerging disease-causing
scientists had been racing towards understanding this deadly emerging public health crisis
the team published these findings in Science, identifying the televised retrovirus as the cause of AIDS. They called this new virus Lymphadenopathy-Virus-Associated
Traditional scientific etiquette and publishing practices would owe to these tensions later down the line.
An American Team Enters the Fray
Meanwhile, in the United States,
team led by Robert Gallo was also engaging in this area of study
He learned of MSG’s publication and contacted Me returning the country by requesting a
filling the ideology ethical ofNullException fully acknowledging the hierarchy of research leadership before engaging in research to independently Verify any link between a virus and the disease they were working to understand
of
The issue of ownership and credit would become a major point of contention’ in the following year.
In May 1984, Gallo and his team published their own findings in *Science*. They had isolated a similar virus linked to AIDS patients. They named it HTLV-III, an acronym
representing a type of human T-lymphotropic virus.
Finally, in early 1983, the Pasteur Institute filed for a patent for the diagnosis of HIV, then called LAV, in Europe. Their application was quickly accepted. However, the application for the same diagnostic
Was that they had filed a
What was the contribution of Dr. Luc Montagnier and his team at the Pasteur Institute to the understanding of AIDS?
## A Deadly Discovery: Unveiling the AIDS Virus
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today we’re diving into the gripping history of the AIDS epidemic, a story of scientific discovery intertwined with societal stigma and a race against time. Joining us to shed light on this critical chapter is Dr. Ara Hovanessian, former Lebanese research director at the CNRS of France, who worked closely with Dr. Luc Montagnier at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. Welcome to the show Dr. Hovanessian.
**Dr. Hovanessian:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** Let’s set the scene. It’s the early 1980s, and a mysterious illness is spreading, particularly affecting marginalized communities. What was the atmosphere like for researchers at the time?
**Dr. Hovanessian:** The atmosphere was one of intense urgency and uncertainty. We were witnessing a new, frightening illness, disproportionately affecting young, seemingly healthy individuals. The lack of understanding about its cause was compounded by societal stigma, particularly against the gay community, which hampered research efforts.
**Host:** Your team at the Pasteur Institute, led by Dr. Montagnier, was among the first to make a breakthrough. Can you tell us about that?
**Dr. Hovanessian:** [1](https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/history/hiv-and-aids-timeline). Yes, in 1983, we isolated a new type of retrovirus from patients with AIDS, which we named lymphadenopathy-associated virus, later known as HIV. It was a monumental discovery that provided the missing piece of the puzzle, the cause of this devastating illness.
**Host:** What was it like working with Luc Montagnier during this period?
**Dr.Hovanessian:** Professor Montagnier was a brilliant scientist and an inspiring leader. He had an unwavering determination to understand and combat this new threat.
**Host:** The discovery of HIV was a major turning point in the fight against AIDS but it wasn’t without controversy. There was initially a dispute between French and American researchers over who first identified the virus. Can you shed any light on that?
**Dr.Hovanessian:** Yes, there was indeed an international scientific dispute. However, in 1987, thanks to the leadership of President Reagan and French Prime Minister Jacques Chirac, we reached a breakthrough. Both countries agreed to share the credit for the discovery and agreed to share patent rights to a blood test developed from our research. This collaborative spirit laid the foundation for international cooperation in the global fight against AIDS.
**Host:** And what a fight it has been, Dr. Hovanessian. Thank you for sharing your insights into this pivotal period in medical history. Your work, and the work of your colleagues, paved the way for treatments and ultimately, hope for millions.