title: Acute human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection has a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic seroconversion to a severe symptomatic illness resembling infectious mononucleosis or other medical conditions including hepatitis, meningoencephalitis, or pneumonitis. Without clinical alertness, the illness is usually misdiagnosed or even not considered. Here we report 3 cases of acute HIV-1 infection with either a negative HIV-1 antibody assay or an indeterminate Western blot result, but high plasma levels of HIV-1 RNA. The initial presentations included fever, skin rash, sore throat, neck lymphadenopathy, cough and headache. One patient presented with infectious mononucleosis-like illness, 1 with aseptic meningitis, and 1 with acute tonsillitis. Physicians should be alert to the possibility of acute HIV-1 infection, especially in cases with unexplained fever, lymphadenopathy or rash.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shao-Tsung
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hsin-Chun
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kung-Hung
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Nan-Yao
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wen-Chien
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male