Absence of Recoverable Infectious Virus and Unique Immune Responses in an Asymptomatic HIV+ Long-Term Survivor

摘要: We have studied a woman with transfusion-acquired HIV who appears to contained infectious virus consistently undetectable levels over 13-year period without antiviral treatment. She received the infected transfusion for intra- and postpartum blood loss immediately after delivery of her second child in 1981. had no acute febrile syndrome has never HIV-associated clinical signs or symptoms 13 years since infection. was first tested found positive antibodies 1985, donor diagnosed AIDS 1986 died AIDS-related complications 1989. Two other recipients packed erythrocytes from this (in 1980 1982) also became were subsequently AIDS. Between January April 1994, setting continuous unambiguous Western blot HIV-specific intermittently low-level DNA signal polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, more than 30 separate cell cocultures performed several independent laboratories failed yield evidence virus, despite special efforts induce detect replication. Immunologically, strong vitro proliferative response envelope proteins distinguished subject asymptomatic HIV+ individuals.