MNS 2015
Medical & Surgical Nursing
Easy
The first case of AIDS was reported in the United States in?
Appeared in: MNS 2015
Explanation
- The first official report of the illness that would become known as AIDS was published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on June 5, 1981.
- The report detailed cases of a rare lung infection, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, in five young, previously healthy gay men in Los Angeles.
- This publication is widely recognized as the beginning of the AIDS epidemic's public history.
- Subsequent reports in 1981 also noted clusters of a rare skin cancer, Kaposi's sarcoma, in similar populations.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: This year is too early. While the virus may have been circulating silently, the syndrome was not recognized or reported by the medical community until the next decade.
- Option B: This is close, but the pivotal reports from the CDC that marked the official start of the epidemic were published in 1981, not 1980. The cases described in the 1981 report occurred between October 1980 and May 1981.
- Option D: By 1982, the epidemic was growing, and the term 'Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome' (AIDS) was first used. However, the initial cases were reported the year before.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain History of HIV/AIDS discovery as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Understanding the history of epidemics like HIV/AIDS is crucial for public health professionals to recognize patterns, respond to new outbreaks, and appreciate the evolution of disease management.
- The history of HIV highlights the critical role of epidemiology and rapid public health communication (like the CDC's MMWR) in identifying and combating new diseases.
- The journey of HIV from a terminal illness to a manageable chronic condition with antiretroviral therapy (ART) is one of modern medicine's greatest successes, emphasizing the importance of continued research and access to care.
How to Approach the Question
- First, identify the core of the question: it's asking for the specific year the first AIDS cases were reported in the U.S.
- This is a factual recall question that relies on knowledge of medical history.
- Evaluate the options, which are all consecutive or near-consecutive years, indicating that a precise date is required.
- Recall that the beginning of the AIDS epidemic is marked by a landmark publication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- The correct year for this first report is 1981. Select this option as it corresponds to the first official recognition of the syndrome.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: History of HIV/AIDS discovery
- Stem keywords: first case, AIDS, reported, United States
- Lead-in keywords: FIRST
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
QO95xtAkxx0-ThjhsnhaCw
Reference Book
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) pp. 1934-1936, 1933-1935
E6 Textbook of Biochemistry for medical StudentsDM Vasudevan Part 2 — Subpart B (pp 240-463 of 478) p. 170-172
Practise the full MNS 2015
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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