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Originally Posted by glitter_fades
Was that the airline steward from Canada? Weren't the earliest US cases traced to this guy who flew all over the world having gay sex? I thought he was well traveled in the NYC gay community during the 70's. He died in the 80's after infecting thousands of partners.  |
That would be the mythic Patient Zero. He was some guy with a french name. It escapes me now, though I have the Excellent book at home and I recommend it to anyone with even a remote interest in the subject. Talk about outrage. Youi think you like Reagan ? Read this book.
On an epidemiological level, this is all fascinating stuff. It was, epidemiologically speaking, a perfect storm. The infection route of the virus meets the abundant cheap travel, meets the fall of Rome sexual expression of post sexual revolution gay culture. It was a strange historical convergence of events. The details of all that sex club and bath house culture are grisly. I can't imagine the people who would have 20-50 sex partners a night, but it was the perfect environment for that virus to spread and infect an entire community. Never before, and hopefully, never again.
Okay, there's the intro to my dissertation.
