In 1981, HIV was first observed without an official name. Scientists initially referred to it by its complications. In a 1982 article in the New York Times, it was labeled as Gay-related Immunodeficiency Disorder, or GRID for short. However, this name did not stick, and throughout the early 1980s, all names for it were related to homosexuality. Terms like gay plague and gay cancer were used, and the CDC briefly introduced 4H disease (representing homosexuals, heroin users, hemophiliacs, and Haitians). Eventually, it was recognized that the disease was not limited to gay individuals, leading to the acceptance of the new name Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It’s important to note that HIV is the virus, while AIDS is the symptom.
