30 years ago, the first cases of AIDS were reported in the United States. Since then, more than 25 million people worldwide have died from the disease, and more than 34 million people are currently infected with HIV. Being diagnosed with HIV used to be the equivalent of a death sentence. But over the past few years, anti-viral drugs have become less expensive and more effective in fighting the disease, allowing life to go on for millions.

By most accounts, the history of AIDS begins sometime in the late 1970s, before the first official cases were diagnosed in 1981 among a handful of gay men. But a striking new book by Dr. Jacques Pépin, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, upends medical history. In "The Origins of AIDS," Pépin traces the roots of the disease back to 1921 when a handful of bush-meat hunters in Africa may have been the first to be exposed to infected chimpanzee blood.

A study released on Monday shows that women using two popular hormonal contraceptives put themselves — and their partners — at greater risk for HIV. While this is a problem for all users of these drugs, it is particularly worrying to people in southern and eastern Africa, where these affordable and easily available contraceptives are used in a very high risk environment.

Two new studies released on Wednesday show that taking a daily pill designed to fight AIDS can actually prevent an uninfected person from contracting HIV. Donald G. McNeil, Jr., science and health reporter for The New York Times, wrote about this potentially monumental find in today's paper, and has the latest on the story. 

All week, we’ve been speaking with influential Americans about what patriotism and America means to them as part of our series "My America." Today’s guest is Dr. Abraham Verghese, professor of the theory and practice of medicine at Stanford University Medical School, and best-selling author of "My Own Country: A Doctor's Story" and "Cutting for Stone."

Thirty years ago this week, Dr. Michael Gottlieb identified a new disease in a paper he wrote for the CDC. Characterized by a severely damaged immune system, and primarily afflicting gay men, the syndrome would come to be known as AIDS. In the years since, over sixty million people — of both genders and all sexual orientations — have died of AIDS. Antiretrovirals have been developed, however there is still no cure.

The International AIDS conference in Vienna is underway and there's excitement about a new study showing that there may be a new effective microbicide to help prevent against HIV infection. Science Magazine correspondent, Jon Cohen is at the conference. He says that the microbicide is not ready for general use and that more trials are needed. He also says that this is part of a combination prevention and that condoms and behavioral change are still necessary.

There's good news in the fight against HIV. A new South African study has found that a microbicide gel containing the antiretroviral medication, Tenofovir can significantly reduce the rate of HIV infections. The study included almost 900 volunteers and showed that the gel cut a woman's chances of being infected by 50 percent after the first year.

Waiting lists for for government-funded life-sustaining antiretroviral drugs for people with H.I.V. and AIDS have ballooned to nearly 1,800 people from zero just three years ago. What's caused this change? Quite simply, the recession.

Diminished government coffers combined with widespread loss of medical insurance due to unemployment has created the perfect storm for a burgeoning public health and budgetary crisis. Louisiana, Florida, Arkansas and Utah are among numerous states that have either closed enrollment or narrowed eligibility in the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Ten states are no longer covering treatments that do not directly combat H.I.V. or opportunistic infections, and Florida will likely winnow its list of 101 covered medications to 53.

In the 1980s, HIV, the virus which causes AIDS, carried a deadly stigma.  The virus was initially thought only to spread among communities which put themselves “at risk.”  AIDS was a “gay” disease, or the killer of “drug addicts” and needle-sharers.  

Yesterday, Dennis deLeon, former New York City Human Rights Commissioner and prominent latino AIDS activist, died in Manhattan at 61 years old from heart failure.  deLeon was one of the first city officials to announce that he was infected with HIV.  The work he and others did to build awareness and education of HIV/AIDS helped reduce the virus' stigma.

Yet in some communities, HIV remains a potent killer.  According to the CDC, African-Americans account for 51 percent of our country's HIV/AIDS cases – while only making up 12 percent of our population.

In an attempt to draw attention to and combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, the National Black Leadership Commission, led by African-American clergy, convened in Detroit yesterday. The conference brings together religious, political and labor leaders in hopes of pushing a Congressional bill that would help tackle the spread of the virus in at-risk communities.

In this conversation we speak with Rev. Horace Sheffield, of New Galilee Baptist Church in Detroit, who spearheaded the conference; along with Dazon Dixon Diallo, the Founder and President of Sister Love, a women’s HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Justice Organization in Atlanta, Georgia.  Together, they discuss some of the structural and social reasons that make the African-American community so vulnerable to infection. 

The news out of South Africa this week indicates there's something for the HIV-stricken country to celebrate. A new report says that HIV infections among young teens are down. In addition, the Western Cape is seeing fewer transmissions because more males are using condoms, and in the last three years the number of HIV infections has stabilized. Is the march of HIV slowing down?

The Takeaway is joined by Dr. Ernest Darkoh, a global health expert known for revolutionizing Botswana's HIV treatment program, to deconstruct the data. Click through for the full transcript of the interview.

Also, check out some intriguing data visualizations of HIV infection rates plotted against life expectancy, from gapminder.org.

HIV is sometimes referred to as a disease of the gut because of the voracity with which it attacks a victim's gastrointestinal tract. As researchers look at ways to limit the disease's affect on the body, a simple, stomach soothing solution came to mind: yogurt. More precisely, yogurt infused with friendly bacteria. Scientist Gregor Reid joins The Takeaway to talk about his work with HIV patients in Africa. There, in Tanzania, he has helped teach a group of "yogurt mamas" how they might serve up disease protection one cup at a time.

For more information, head to the pilot yogurt program's website, Western Heads East. Read more about the group, as well as other probiotic research, by checking out the article, A cultured response to HIV, in the June 2009 issue of the journal Nature Medicine.

Photos from Gregor Reid's trip:

Worldwide an estimated 33 million people are living with HIV. The popular explanations include extreme poverty, lack of HIV education, and insufficient access to condoms and health care. But conventional wisdom and certain assumptions can't entirely explain the AIDS pandemic. For a deeper look at what the biological and behavioral factors are that put so many at risk for HIV/AIDS, The Takeaway turns to Daniel Halperin, a leading expert on HIV prevention. Daniel Halperin is a lecturer in Global Health and Senior research scientist at Harvard University School of Public Health.