Editor's Summary
15 May 2008
HIV: The first 25 years
The AIDS virus HIV was first isolated 25 years ago, an anniversary to be marked by a three-day conference at the Institut Pasteur in Paris next week (19–21 May). In 1981, Anthony S. Fauci, now the director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was among those in the medical profession seeing the first cases of the 'mystery disease' that became known as AIDS. In this issue he looks back on the lessons of the intervening years. He concludes that we were naive to expect an unimpeded path from the discovery and characterization of HIV to the development of a vaccine: HIV has proved uniquely recalcitrant. But with the political will and with continued commitment of money and resources, the next quarter century could bring the clinical breakthrough that is so vital.
Essay: 25 years of HIV
Reflecting on how far we have come scientifically since isolating HIV in 1983, Anthony S. Fauci urges a renewed commitment to the far greater challenges ahead, especially that of vaccine development.
Anthony S. Fauci
doi:10.1038/453289a
