title: Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia during primary HIV-1 infection.
abstract: 3 patients with severe CD4 lymphocytopenia (62-91 cells/microL) and inverted CD4/CD8 ratios (0.13-0.15) developed Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia during symptomatic, primary HIV-1 infection. Within four months of symptom onset, their CD4 counts and CD4/CD8 ratios returned to normal. Twenty-nine to forty-eight months after acquiring HIV-1 infection, they show no signs or symptoms of progression to AIDS. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia can occur, therefore, in primary HIV-1 infection, and profound CD4 lymphocytopenia can revert to normal without antiretroviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Unit, A Pugliese Hospital, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vento
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Perri
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Garofano
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Concia
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bassetti
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications*; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008231:Lymphopenia / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000150:complications*; D013997:Time Factors