Loading...
Seronegative HIV infection has been described previously but is quite unusual. In this brief report from Portugal, investigators described the phylogenetic analysis of a virulent HIV strain that resulted in a patient's rapid progression to AIDS and death.
The patient was a previously healthy 20-year-old heterosexual man who presented with fatigue and weight loss. Testing for infectious diseases, including serologic assays to detect antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2, provided no answers. Within 3 months, the patient developed oropharyngeal candidiasis, and his CD4 count dropped to 232 cells/mm3. HIV serology continued to be negative, even when his CD4 count dropped further, to 52 cells/mm3. Serum p24 antigen levels and plasma viral load were cons…