MEDICAL UPDATE: Primary HIV Infection

MEDICAL UPDATE: Primary HIV Infection

Being Alive/Los Angeles; Being Alive Newsletter - November 1993
presented by Mark Katz, MD and reported by Jim Stoecker

About half of those newly infected with HIV experience some symptoms within five to sixty days after initial exposure. Usually these symptoms show up within two to three weeks. Since the most common manifestations are fever, sore throat, and muscle aches, the episode is usually passed off as the flu. One non flu-like symptom is skin rash, found in an estimated two-thirds of those who experienced symptoms..

During the period of primary infection, immune suppression may be profound, before the body begins producing antibodies to fight the invasion. One study found that three of thirty-one patients came down with esophageal candidiasis, an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection, at the time of primary infection.

Researchers believe that HIV might be stopped if a person with primary infection is immediately treated with antivirals. Dr. Eric Daar is leading a study at Cedars-Sinai to determine if such early treatment can alter the course of HIV infection.
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