INCIDENCE OF HIV-INFECTION AMONG PATIENTS WITH NEW-ONSET PSYCHOSIS

To assess the frequency of HIV testing and the incidence of HIV infect ion among patients with new-onset psychosis, the records of 811 patien ts referred to a military hospital for acute psychosis during a two-ye ar period were reviewed. Records of 518 patients were excluded because they had known chronic psychotic illnesses, repeat admissions for rec urrent affective disorders with psychotic features, delirium, dementia , or pre-existing HIV infection. Of the 293 patients with new-onset ps ychotic illness, 84 percent (N = 246) were tested for HIV antibodies. None were seropositive for HIV. Although patients with new-onset psych osis were commonly assessed for HIV infection to clarify their diagnos is, HIV infection was not associated with new-onset psychosis.