[History and the development of the studies on HIV and AIDS].

The article describes the progress of medical knowledge which has been observed since the finding and discovery of the first case of the immune deficiency syndrome in the world in 1981. During this period the methods of diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS has changed significantly. The progress in this area of examinations which is presently achieved allows unambiguous diagnosis of the virus and the disease. The recognition of the pathogenesis of the HIV and AIDS enabled the beginning of the studies on the medicines having antiretroviral properties. The utilization of the potential of the currently used medicines inhibits the progress of the disease and, in consequence, the elongation of the patients' life span. However, despite excessive clinical experiments in numerous research centres world-wide, until now there has not been found an effective medicine which could totally eradicate this virus from the body nor the vaccine which could prevent the further spread of this virus in the world.