epidemic HIV/AIDS pandemic American HIV/AIDS epidemic AIDS epidemic in the United States American AIDS epidemic American HIV epidemic HIV epidemic in the United States HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States The AIDS epidemic, caused by HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), found its way to the United States as early as 1960, but was first noticed after doctors discovered clusters of Kaposi's sarcoma and pneumocystis pneumonia in gay men in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco in 1981. Treatment of HIV/AIDS is primarily via a "drug cocktail" of antiretroviral drugs, and education programs to help people avoid infection.