Centers For Disease Control and Prevention Timeline - 1980s

1980s

• 1980 - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published the first report on the newly-recognized toxic shock syndrome, an illness associated with tampon use.
• 1981 - The first diagnosis of the fatal disease later known as AIDS was described in the June 5, 1981, issue of MMWR.
• 1982 - CDC advised of the possible risk of Reye syndrome associated with the use of aspirin by children with chickenpox and flu-like symptoms.
• 1983 - CDC established a Violence Epidemiology Branch to apply public health prevention strategies to child abuse, homicide, and suicide.
• 1984 - CDC studied Vietnam veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange during combat and later fathered babies; no increased risk of birth defects was found.
• 1985 - With other government organizations, CDC sponsored the first International AIDS Conference, which took place in Atlanta.
• 1986 - The Office on Smoking and Health, which targets the nation's primary preventable health problem, became part of CDC.
• 1987 - CDC reported that about 7,000 workers die on the job annually; 42 percent of female workers who die on the job are murdered.
• 1988 - CDC established the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
• 1989 - CDC reported the 100,000th AIDS case in the United States.