Diversity, drug resistance, and the epidemic of subtype C HIV-1 in Africa.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic has grown from a handful of sentinel observations in New York and California, nearly 25 years ago, to an epidemic that has claimed 500,000 lives in the United States and >20 million worldwide. Tom Merigan's scientific career led him to focus on viral pathogenesis as translational "bench-to-bedside" research, aimed squarely at the development of antiretroviral treatment. As a founder and leader of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group, Tom played a pivotal role in the national response to HIV. He led the development of a succession of antiretroviral drugs, their combined use, and the introduction of new methods for monitoring HIV infection. The current response to the global epidemic and the tools now coming to bear on diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring owe much to Tom's relentless pursuit of excellence in research and the training he offered generations of clinical virologists and infectious disease physicians.