ACUTE HIV SEROCONVERSION ILLNESS PRESENTING AS AFRICA VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC-FEVER

Background: Both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-I) and Afric an viral haemorrhagic fever (VHF) viruses cause similar symptoms in ac utely infected individuals and must be included in the differential di agnosis in areas where HIV-1 and VHF viruses both occur. Objectives: T o determine the cause of an acute illness in a patient at risk of expo sure to both HIV-1 and African VHF viruses. Results: Serological exami nation revealed the presence of high levels of the p24 core antigen of HIV-1 in the absence of antibodies to HIV-I in a specimen collected d uring the acute stage of the infection. On follow-up, the antigen enzy me-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) became negative while the antibo dy ELISA and confirmatory Western blot for HIV-1 became positive. Conc lusions: Acute HIV seroconversion illness may have protean manifestati ons and, in the more severe forms, may cause diagnostic dilemmas, part icularly in regions where African VHFs occur.