Human: What is the history of the AIDS epidemic? Assistant: 
The AIDS epidemic began in the early 1980s when a new type of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was discovered. This virus, HIV-1, causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is believed that HIV-1 originated from chimpanzees and spread to humans through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids. By the mid-1980s, scientists had determined that the virus could be transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood transfusions, and mother-to-child transmission. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the first drugs were developed to treat HIV/AIDS patients. These drugs slowed down the progression of the disease but did not cure it. Since then, researchers have been working on developing more effective treatments for HIV/AIDS.