Abracadabra: Magic Johnson and Anti-HIV Treatments Part I—"Background" by Brian J. Rybarczyk University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill

"It's not going to happen to me.  And I'm here saying that it can happen to anybody, even me, Magic Johnson."  These words were spoken by basketball hall-of-famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson at a press conference on November 7, 1991, to the shock of an entire nation.  Johnson represents one of the first sports celebrities to publicly announce his HIV-seropositive status.  A star basketball player who is HIV positive?  How could this have happened?

In 1992, Magic played in the NBA All-Star Game and on the gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympic basketball team.  He served as head coach of the Lakers in 1994 and returned as a player on the team in 1996, but decided it was time to retire and channel his energies into other arenas outside of basketball.  Currently, Johnson is CEO of his own business, Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE).  He also has established the Magic Johnson Foundation, which helps inner-city communities deal with issues surrounding HIV/AIDS and raises funds for research and prevention efforts.  His time is also spent with his wife and three children.

Johnson exercises regularly and eats a healthy diet.  He currently does not experience any of the symptoms associated with HIV infection or AIDS.

Questions

1. What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?
2. List and explain the major routes of HIV transmission.
3. What does seropositive mean and how is a person tested for HIV?
4. What are some symptoms associated with acute phase HIV infection?  What are the symptoms of AIDS?
5. What benefits are associated with Magic Johnson's announcement concerning his HIV-positive status?  What risks or drawbacks can you think of associated with his announcement?

Image Credit:  Photograph of Earvin "Magic" Johnson.  © 1997-2003 GlaxoSmithKline.  All Rights Reserved.
Date Posted:  04/03/03 nas
This file is also available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). 

Copyright © 2009 by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science.  Please see our usage guidelines, which outline our policy concerning permissible reproduction of this work.