Rapid progression of HIV infection in an Australian of Melanesian descent

This paper presents the case of a man from the Torres Strait islands with H IV infection. He was admitted to hospital with Pneumocystis carinii pneumon ia and needed intubation before contact details could be determined. He die d in hospital. Subsequent inquiries suggested that he had had a seroconvers ion illness in months before his death. HIV infection is currently no more common in Australia's indigenous population than in the population overall. The high reported rates of other sexually transmitted diseases in Aborigin al and Torres Strait islander communities, however, suggest that these comm unities are at greater risk of HIV transmission. The rapid progression of H IV infection in an indigenous Australian must be viewed with some concern. Should a pattern of more rapidly progressive disease emerge, the factors re sponsible should be investigated.