[The Anders Jahre Prize for young researchers 1992. HIV/AIDS--an epidemiological challenge].

Mads Melbye was awarded the Anders Jahre prize for young scientists in 1992 for his research into epidemiological infections. His pioneering work, which has elucidated the manner in which HIV and AIDS are transmitted sexually and via contaminated blood, has been of fundamental importance in understanding AIDS as an infectious disease. The article describes how this knowledge was obtained, and how it has added to our understanding of the pathogenesis of other diseases--here exemplified by a type of cancer.