title: HIV-2 infection with a long asymptomatic period.
abstract: We give details of a patient infected with HIV-2 which had what we believe to be the longest asymptomatic period so far reported. The infection was probably acquired though a blood transfusion in Africa 27 years ago. At present the patient remains asymptomatic and her cellular defence mechanisms, evaluated by CD+4 lymphocyte counts and hypersensitivity skin tests, are not severely compromised. HIV-2 has come distinct epidemiological, clinical and biological features which are different from the related HIV-1 and deserve investigation in order for its natural history to be better understood.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Service, School of Medicine, Hospital São João, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mota-Miranda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Marques
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serrão
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Santos-Ferreira
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lecour
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006169:Guinea-Bissau; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D065227:Transfusion Reaction