Acute HIV seroconversion illness presenting as African viral haemorrhagic fever

• Published in: Clinical and diagnostic virology Vol. 6; no. 2; pp. 111 - 114
• Main Authors: Martin, Desmond J, Lyons, Susan F, Sim, John G, Blumberg, Lucille
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier B.V 01-08-1996; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: African viral haemorrhagic fever; Arboviral haemorrhagic fevers; Arboviroses; Biological and medical sciences; HIV-1; Human viral diseases; Immunodeficiencies; Immunodeficiencies. Immunoglobulinopathies; Immunopathology; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Seroconversion; Tropical viral diseases; Viral diseases; Africa; HIV-1; African viral haemorrhagic fever; VDRL; CCHF; TPHA; RVF; VHF; Seroconversion; IF; ELISA; Human; Immunopathology; Hemorrhagic fever; Seropositivity; HIV-1 virus; Retroviridae; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Infection; Virus; Symptomatology; Viral disease; Arbovirus disease; Lentivirinae; Human immunodeficiency virus; Diagnosis
• ISSN: 0928-0197; 1873-4901
• DOI: 10.1016/0928-0197(96)00233-4

Background: Both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and African viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) viruses cause similar symptoms in acutely infected individuals and must be included in the differential diagnosis in areas where HIV-1 and VHF viruses both occur.
Objectives: To determine the cause of an acute illness in a patient at risk of exposure to both HIV-1 and African VHF viruses.
Results: Serological examination revealed the presence of high levels of the p24 core antigen of HIV-1 in the absence of antibodies to HIV-1 in a specimen collected during the acute stage of the infection. On follow-up, the antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) became negative while the antibody ELISA and confirmatory Western blot for HIV-1 became positive.
Conclusions: Acute HIV seroconversion illness may have protean manifestations and, in the more severe forms, may cause diagnostic dilemmas, particularly in regions where African VHFs occur.