In what year was AIDS first identified as a disease?

AIDS, or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, was first identified as a distinct disease in 1981. This year marked the beginning of the public recognition and clinical understanding of the disease when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported unusual clusters of Pneumocystis pneumonia and Kaposi's sarcoma among young gay men in Los Angeles and New York.

The subsequent years involved further research and identification of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus responsible for AIDS. By 1983, the virus was isolated, and by 1984, the link between HIV and AIDS was firmly established, leading to preventive and therapeutic measures. However, the initial identification of the disease itself is attributed to 1981.

Thus, identifying 1981 as the year of recognition for AIDS aligns with historical events in public health and the timeline of the epidemic.