The discovery of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as the cause of AIDS was followed by elucidation of its pathogenesis, natural history, and epidemiology, the creation of a diagnostic blood test, and the development of antiretroviral drugs. In 1996, the approval of the first drug of a class called protease inhibitors led to the adoption of a multi-drug, anti-HIV regimen known as highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART.
在发现了人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）是艾滋病的致病原因后，接着有解释了它的致病机理、自然史、流行病学，创立了诊断性血液检验、开发了抗逆转录病毒药物。1996年，对于一类名为蛋白酶抑制剂的首批药物的批准带来一种多药、抗HIV疗程，即高效抗逆转录病毒治疗（HAART）的被采用。这一进展极大地改观了生活的质量，并且增强了HIV感染者对生命的期望。