October 2014 PMID 25278604

HIV epidemiology. The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations.

Nuno R Faria, Andrew Rambaut, Marc A Suchard, Guy Baele, Trevor Bedford, Melissa J Ward, Andrew J Tatem, João D Sousa, Nimalan Arinaminpathy, Jacques Pépin, David Posada, Martine Peeters, Oliver G Pybus, Philippe Lemey

Download social card

Mentions

241
Peak: 16 in Feb 2022
across 5 sources since Nov 2019

Extended reach

389,728
potential audience

Total likes

94

Video views

197

Mentions per month

Nov 2019 – Nov 2025

Where it's discussed

  • News113 articles
  • X / Twitter57 posts
  • Facebook39 posts
  • Blogs30 articles
  • YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The group extensively discusses the article’s findings, such as the tracing back to Kinshasa in the 1920s and its global impact, with words like 'fascinating' and references to colonial history showing a blend of scientific interest and social critique. Some posts also share additional resources and question the implications, reflecting both curiosity and critical engagement.

AgreementModerate agreement

Many discussions highlight the significance of tracing HIV's origins, indicating general consensus on the study's importance.

InterestHigh interest

Participants demonstrate high curiosity, referencing the early spread and historical context, showing deep engagement.

EngagementModerate engagement

The comments include sharing resources, debating origins, and reflecting on social implications, indicating moderate to deep involvement.

ImpactModerate impact

The discussions emphasize the article's influence on understanding HIV’s history and its broader societal consequences, though not all are deeply transformative.

Abstract in brief

  • The study uses statistical analysis of HIV-1 genetic data to trace the virus's early spread, pinpointing Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the initial focus of transmission from the 1920s and a key source of global pandemic viruses before 1960.
  • Researchers confirmed their findings with early HIV-1 samples from Kinshasa, establishing that the virus's early transmission was centered there before spreading to other regions.
  • The analysis shows that while HIV-1 groups M and O had similar epidemic patterns until 1960, group M experienced a significant epidemiological shift after that, likely influenced by social and transportation changes that facilitated its rapid growth.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Mellanie F. Dutra
@mellziland · X

- Descobrir a origem de uma pandemia é muito complexo. A origem do HIV aponta para dispersão zoonótica, apesar de ser incerta também. Talvez leve muitos anos para batermos o martelo para a origem da pandemia da COVID-19. Espero que não, mas pode acontecer. https://t.co/CnOotRHpeT

Jun 12, 2023 · 40 likes · 2 shares · 101,832 followers View post →
Raoul J de Groot
@raouljdegroot · X

@SwaledaleMutton @lawrence_glick @DrAMakrides @dr_andrealove The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations | Science https://t.co/SjKH4FN8Qn

Nov 22, 2024 · 22 likes · 2 shares · 2,195 followers View post →
Špijun među vama
@Spijunmedjvama · X

@dajnamikus Originalni tekst https://t.co/34c7Kjq74V Ali, pošto je zaključan ko nema pristup preko kobson-a, jedan digest iz guardiana https://t.co/W8pVMq5dJq

Nov 18, 2025 · 12 likes · 1 share · 6,707 followers View post →
長谷川耕平 MD, PhD, MBA
@KHasegawa · X

こちらはScienceによって出版された研究 https://t.co/NbG8CDGnQU

Nov 23, 2024 · 4 likes · 3,845 followers View post →
Laetitia Moreau-Gabarain MS MBA
@MoreauGabarain · X

@rkhamsi @SamanthaAsumadu Interesting. Maybe I had read about it before. But well written. There is a link to the Science study. https://t.co/74z4dwpJ0e

Apr 6, 2022 · 2 likes · 3,224 followers View post →
mastodon.social/@buermann
@joshbuermann · X

It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the reign of King Leopold. That nobody noticed until the 80s when Americans got sick is an impressive testament to neocolonial indifference. https://t.co/49Lh0XV3IH

Oct 31, 2021 · 2 likes · 31 shares · 216 followers View post →

All mentions

ASAD KILLER OF TERRORISTS
@placacporeza · X

RT @Spijunmedjvama: @dajnamikus Originalni tekst https://t.co/34c7Kjq74V Ali, pošto je zaključan ko nema pristup preko kobson-a, jedan dig…

Nov 18, 2025 · 1 share · 7,735 followers View post →
Špijun među vama
@Spijunmedjvama · X

@dajnamikus Originalni tekst https://t.co/34c7Kjq74V Ali, pošto je zaključan ko nema pristup preko kobson-a, jedan digest iz guardiana https://t.co/W8pVMq5dJq

Nov 18, 2025 · 12 likes · 1 share · 6,707 followers View post →
John Rodriguez
@rodrig39386 · X

The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations | Science https://t.co/BdomXUHtOV a fascinating analysis of #HIV #AIDS @liz_churchill10 @RobertKennedyJr truth is rarely plain or simple #virus

Dec 1, 2024 · 963 followers View post →
長谷川耕平 MD, PhD, MBA
@KHasegawa · X

こちらはScienceによって出版された研究 https://t.co/NbG8CDGnQU

Nov 23, 2024 · 4 likes · 3,845 followers View post →
Raoul J de Groot
@raouljdegroot · X

@SwaledaleMutton @lawrence_glick @DrAMakrides @dr_andrealove The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations | Science https://t.co/SjKH4FN8Qn

Nov 22, 2024 · 22 likes · 2 shares · 2,195 followers View post →
Jill Devereux
@JillDevereux · X

@CharlieRevillo @historyinmemes https://t.co/cyiJZ3rHAA. Here you go.. some of us like this thing called “science.”

Oct 20, 2024 · 2 likes · 157 followers View post →
Meowrider.
@gatoparlante · X

@traviejita_ @mbachelet Dificilmente verás a alguno de los científicos (jelou, @gabotuitero) referirse a temas polémicos como este por razones obvias. La Academia está infectada de wokismo, y clama por ser saneada. https://t.co/77lzfX7XmN https://t.co/5gXBYTCw2k

Mar 30, 2024 · 1 like · 1,321 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Jan 21, 2024 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
Defender of
@e2dot7182818284 · X

@SHomburg @ChrisUCSC HIV ist (wie andere Viren auch) von Tieren (Affen in dem Fall) auf den Menschen übergegangen https://t.co/BiZSuSZsQz

Jul 19, 2023 · 4,332 followers View post →
Konstantin P.
@KonstPapakostas · X

The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations | Science https://t.co/jAJfiXhAFN

Jul 19, 2023 · 1 like · 883 followers View post →
FERNANDO RIBEIRO
@FE_LOPESRIBEIRO · X

RT @mellziland: - Descobrir a origem de uma pandemia é muito complexo. A origem do HIV aponta para dispersão zoonótica, apesar de ser incer…

Jun 14, 2023 · 2 shares · 6,063 followers View post →
MAFALDA
@belaccioy · X

RT @mellziland: - Descobrir a origem de uma pandemia é muito complexo. A origem do HIV aponta para dispersão zoonótica, apesar de ser incer…

Jun 12, 2023 · 2 shares · 3,353 followers View post →
Mellanie F. Dutra
@mellziland · X

- Descobrir a origem de uma pandemia é muito complexo. A origem do HIV aponta para dispersão zoonótica, apesar de ser incerta também. Talvez leve muitos anos para batermos o martelo para a origem da pandemia da COVID-19. Espero que não, mas pode acontecer. https://t.co/CnOotRHpeT

Jun 12, 2023 · 40 likes · 2 shares · 101,832 followers View post →
Thingodonta
@rogermcevilly · X

@Biorealism @BiophysicsFL Journals need to be more active in distinguishing fact from models, often figures have mix of both but isn't shown. Eg below everything above 1959 in figure is a model; first known clinicially confirmed AIDS case in 1959, following mass polio vaccinations https://t.co/HMcQjnzQ7T https://t.co/mDdsSP5Ddk

May 12, 2023 · 841 followers View post →
John Scriven
@JohnScriven20 · X

@RICHLS8 @missberta79 @lavern_spicer According to the peer reviewed paper of Faria NR, Rambaut A, Suchard MA, Baele G, Bedford T, Ward MJ, (October 2014). "HIV epidemiology. The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations" HIV first entered humans in the 1920’s. You can stop waiting.

Dec 12, 2022 · 2 likes · 9 followers View post →
Le Chat Secouriste ♂️
@ChatSecouriste · X

@smoky_coil DOI de l'article de Science 10.1126/science.1256739 https://t.co/DL8blZmW4L

Dec 1, 2022 · 2,727 followers View post →
lab-leaked-tariff
@HL3133 · X

@Florin_Uncovers @pathogenetics @humblesci He is on this one. He took a side for sure. https://t.co/oJp3K9qmGT

Sep 7, 2022 · 1 like · 1,142 followers View post →
know thyself(子豚のオリバー)
@thyself_know · X

サル痘が話題になっているので、古いけれどあえてHIVの起源についての論文を放流する The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations https://t.co/AZbYtV89uk

Jul 25, 2022 · 1 like · 1,223 followers View post →
Sewe Saldanha
@SeweS_ · X

@alykhansatchu Origin and spread of HIV. https://t.co/dVAEUzNEQ8 CC @sunnykay

Jul 13, 2022 · 1 like · 20,925 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Jul 5, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
DIGS for EVEs
@DIGS_for_EVEs · X

@Paleovirologist https://t.co/RphkA2TKxD

Jun 29, 2022 · 449 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Apr 29, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Apr 13, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Apr 11, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Apr 8, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
Laetitia Moreau-Gabarain MS MBA
@MoreauGabarain · X

@rkhamsi @SamanthaAsumadu Interesting. Maybe I had read about it before. But well written. There is a link to the Science study. https://t.co/74z4dwpJ0e

Apr 6, 2022 · 2 likes · 3,224 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Apr 2, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Mar 30, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Mar 27, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Mar 24, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Mar 19, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Mar 13, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Mar 8, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Mar 2, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 27, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 24, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 22, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 20, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 16, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 15, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 12, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 11, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 10, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 9, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 8, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 7, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 6, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 5, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 3, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Feb 1, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
sonnysehra
@sonnysehra · X

RT @joshbuermann: It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the re…

Jan 31, 2022 · 31 shares · 6,844 followers View post →
Buzzkill Lightsaber
@TFFPrisoner · X

@Erica_RPereira @mattxiv I don't think so. https://t.co/fNQr3Qoayj

Jan 29, 2022 · 1,117 followers View post →
mastodon.social/@buermann
@joshbuermann · X

It's pretty wild that pandemic HIV was traced back to 1920s Kinshasa, Belgian Congo. AIDS is a fitting monument to the reign of King Leopold. That nobody noticed until the 80s when Americans got sick is an impressive testament to neocolonial indifference. https://t.co/49Lh0XV3IH

Oct 31, 2021 · 2 likes · 31 shares · 216 followers View post →
Valan
@valanvir · X

RT @Cornymel: @macroliter I give a lecture on this every year... There is not a great single review IMO, but here are a few good resources…

Aug 4, 2021 · 1 share · 52 followers View post →
Melissa Kane PhD
@Cornymel · X

@macroliter I give a lecture on this every year... There is not a great single review IMO, but here are a few good resources DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a006841, 10.1016/S1473-3099(10)70186-9 , 10.1016/j.molmed.2011.12.001, 10.1016/j.virol.2016.05.003, 10.1126/science.1256739

Aug 4, 2021 · 1 like · 1 share · 1,042 followers View post →
Ammu Neuroscience
@ammuneuroscien2 · X

Nuno, Faria R (3 de octubre de 2014). «The early spread and epidemic ignition of HIV-1 in human populations». Science. PMID 25278604. doi:10.1126/science.1256739. Keele, B. F. (28 de julio de 2006). «Chimpanzee Reservoirs of Pandemic and Nonpandemic HIV-1». Science (en inglés)

Sep 11, 2020 · 2,747 followers View post →
Marcos García Ochoa
@gomiam · X

@MetodoSiempre @pabmc_16 @maldita_ciencia Era VIH. Te enlazo el artículo que explica la evolución de las diferentes cepas de VIH: https://t.co/kAKCBmRnFj

Nov 14, 2019 · 260 followers View post →