Identification of infection of an Australian resident with the human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2).

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Identification of infection of an Australian resident with the human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2).

Med J Aust. 1992 Sep 21;157(6):415-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/93078646
Downie JC; Dwyer DE; Kazazi F; Chew CB; Dowton DN; Randle C; Singh V; Dax EM; Cunningham AL; Department of Virology, Westmead Hospital, NSW.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To present the first confirmed case of human immunodeficiency virus infection type 2 (HIV-2) in an Australian resident. CLINICAL FEATURES: HIV-2 infection in a west African man resident in Sydney was diagnosed in 1992 at Westmead Hospital, Sydney, by serological testing. He was asymptomatic and the blood CD4 T-lymphocyte concentration was not significantly reduced. Infection was probably acquired before migration to Australia. The patient was initially tested for HIV-1 antibody as part of an application for permanent residency. He was in no obvious risk group or transmission category. His serum was repeatedly positive by Genetic Systems enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and borderline by Abbott EIA, was reactive to the HIV-2 peptide on a synthetic envelope peptide assay, and was strongly reactive to all HIV-2 specific viral protein bands on an HIV-2 western blot test. HIV-2 was isolated by co-cultivation of the patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells and identified by hybridisation using HIV-2 specific oligonucleotide probes, with further confirmation by polymerase chain reaction. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: The patient was counselled regarding the clinical course and prognosis of HIV-2 infection, the possible indications for zidovudine therapy, modes of transmission of the virus and safer sex precautions. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first documented case of HIV-2 infection diagnosed in Australia and raises the possibility of other undetected cases. The cost effectiveness of general testing for HIV-2 needs to be assessed and formal epidemiological sentinel programs should be established to monitor specific Australian populations.

Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/*DIAGNOSIS Adult Africa, Western/ETHNOLOGY AIDS Serodiagnosis Blotting, Western Case Report Human *HIV-2/ISOLATION & PURIF Male New South Wales Polymerase Chain Reaction JOURNAL ARTICLE
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