Discovery in 1986 that a lot of virus in the blood of a HIV seropositive individual was directly related to the presence of symptoms of AIDS and that the presence of virus in the blood predicted fast development of AIDS (Lancet, 1986). Simultaneously it was discovered that AIDS virus was detectable in the fluid surrounding the brain. In 1994 we were able to show that the more virus is detectable in the blood the faster one develops AIDS (Jurriaans, Virology, 1994) indicating that lowering the virus load had to be the goal of successful AIDS treatment.
Publication:
GOUDSMIT, J., DE WOLF, F., PAUL, D.A., EPSTEIN, L.G., LANGE, J.M., KRONE, W.J., SPEELMAN, H., WOLTERS, E.C., VAN DER NOORDAA, J., OLESKE, J.M. ET AL. (1986)
Expression of human immunodeficiency virus antigen (HIV-Ag) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid during acute and chronic infection.
Lancet 2 (8500): 177-180.
PubMed publication date: Jul 26, 1986.
PubMed link to abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2873436
PDF: Lancet_1986_328_8500_177_Goudsmit
JURRIAANS, S., VAN GEMEN, B., WEVERLING, G.J., VAN STRIJP, D., NARA, P., COUTINHO, R., KOOT, M., SCHUITEMAKER, H., and GOUDSMIT, J. (1994)
The natural history of HIV-1 infection: virus load and virus phenotype independent determinants of clinical course?
Virology 204 (1): 223-233.
PubMed publication date: Oct, 1994.
PubMed link to abstract: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7916514
PDF: Virology_1994_204_1_223_Jurriaans