Many Cells Invaded During Primary Symptomatic HIV Infection

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Monday, July 20, 1992 Marion E. Glick
9:45 a.m. (3:45 a.m. EDT) [phone]
Many Cells Invaded During Primary Symptomatic HIV Infection
Results obtained from the first study to directly determine the replication of HIV in
peripheral blood mononuclear cells during the initial weeks of primary symptomatic infection
indicate a high frequency of infected cells actively producing virus, according to investigators
from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIALD) and the University of
Alabama in Birmingham.
For the study, investigators followed individuals presented to a hospital after having been
potentially exposed to HIV infection. When the participants first developed symptoms of primary
infection, similar to the flu with diarrhea and fever, the investigators began to collect blood
samples. Later, when the participants tested positive for HIV infection, the investigators examined
the stored blood and additional blood samples taken for two months.
Cecilia Graziosi, Ph.D., coprincipal investigator of the study with Giuseppe Pantaleo,
M.D., plans to present the findings July 20 at the VIII International Conference on AIDS in
Amsterdam. The investigators used the laboratory test polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to
examine the number of infected cells in the blood as well as the degree of virus replication.
"We see a burst of virus production for a very short period of time," says Dr. Graziosi.
"Other studies have shown that later, during the period of clinical latency of HIV disease for
example, far fewer H1V-infected cells are actively producing virus in the blood."

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