Acute HIV Syndrome

A transient, flu-like early response to HIV-1, that occurs 1 to 6 weeks after exposure to HIV-1 in 50%–70% of those with primary HIV infection. AHS presents as an acute infectious mononucleosis-like complex and is accompanied by viraemia and an immune response to HIV within 1 week to 3 months.
Clinical findings Fever, severe fatigue, sore throat, lymphadenopathy, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and a maculopapular rash; less commonly, diarrhoea, lightning-like pain, major weight loss, abdominal cramping, palmoplantar desquamation, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, photophobia, pruritic or urticarial rash, lymphocytic meningoencephalitis and peripheral neuropathy, all symptoms remit, and reappear as AIDS after a latency of up to several years.
Lab Mild leukopaenia, occasionally inversion of the CD4:CD8 ratio, antibodies to HIV products—gp120, gp160, p24 and p41 first appear ≥ months after infection. The syndrome affects one-third of previously healthy heterosexual subjects but is uncommon in homosexual males.

acute HIV syndrome

Acute HIV infection, primary symptomatic HIV infection A transient, flu-like early response to HIV-1, that occurs 1-6 wks after exposure to HIV-1 in 50-70% of those with 1º HIV infection; AHS presents as an acute infectious mononucleosis-like complex and is accompanied by viremia and an immune response to HIV within 1 wk to 3 months Clinical Fever, severe fatigue, sore throat, lymphadenopathy, anorexia, N&V, and a maculopapular rash, less commonly, diarrhea, lightning-like pain, major weight loss, abdominal cramping, palmoplantar desquamation, myalgia, arthralgia, headache, photophobia, lymphadenopathy, pruritic maculopapular or urticarial rash, lymphocytic meningoencephalitis and peripheral neuropathy, all Sx remit, and reappear as AIDS after a latency of up to several yrs Lab Mild leukopenia, occasionally inversion of the CD4:CD8 ratio, antibodies to HIV products–gp120, gp160, p24 and p41 first appear ≥ months after infection. See AIDS, CD4:CD8 ratio, HIV-1.

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References in periodicals archive

(8,10-14) In the 6 instances where CD4 counts were documented, they were well below 350 cells/[micro]l in all cases except one of acute HIV syndrome. Nine of these 10 patients presented with decreased visual acuity in one or both eyes.

Successful treatment of bilateral visual loss caused by idiopathic optic neuritis in an HIV-infected patient

Typically within 1 month of infection, patients with acute HIV infection experience symptoms such as fever, fatigue, pharyngitis, rash, and weight loss.(Kahn & Walker, 1998) It is thought that up to 90% of new HIV infections are associated with acute HIV syndrome (Coco & Kleinhans, 2005).

Fever and sore throat in a 16-year-old female

(1.) Perimutter, Barbara Lee et al, "How to Recognize and Treat Acute HIV Syndrome," American Family Physician, August, 1999, www.aafp.org/afp/990800ap/535.html.

HIV Testing 101 (Part 2 of 2)