The AIDS epidemic refers to the global outbreak of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which emerged in the early 1980s and has since resulted in significant morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks, characterized by symptoms such as fever, headache, fatigue, and a distinctive skin rash called erythema migrans. If untreated, it can lead to severe complications affecting the joints, heart, and nervous system.