[Acute symptomatic HIV infection. Report of 10 cases].
BACKGROUND
The diagnosis of acute HIV infection must rely in the demonstration of a significant increase in antibody titers against HIV together with the timely development of clinical symptoms. The percentage of cases with symptomatic acute HIV infection is currently unknown.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective review of all patients admitted to Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases department of a General Hospital in a three-year period. The presence of HIV-antibodies was assessed by means of ELISA, indirect immunofluorescent test and Western blot technique.


RESULTS
Among a total number of 1110 patients, we found 10 (0.9%) that were considered as having an acute symptomatic HIV infection. Clinical presentation was as follows: mononucleosis-like syndrome, 7 patients; aseptic meningitis, 1 patient; polirradiculoneurophaty and coreoatetosis, 1 patient and esophageal candidiasis, 1 patient. Transmission of infection was heterosexual contact in 60% of cases. Four patients developed a transient skin rash, four had oral candidiasis and low platelet count was detected in 6 cases. The presence of circulating HIV antigen could be demonstrated in 7 patients, and the change in antibody titer was recorded with an 11 +/- 2 weeks span.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of symptomatic HIV acute infection was only 0.9% in our study. The high number of patients with heterosexual transmission and low platelet counts in our series is remarkable.
Martínez
P
P
Secciones de Medicina Interna, Hospital Civil de Bilbao.
Muñoz
J
J
Santamaría
J M
JM
Teira
R
R
Etxabarri
S G
SG
Miguel
F
F
Cisterna
R
R
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
Infección aguda sintomática por el VIH. A propósito de 10 casos.