The Relationship between the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (Draft)

DRAFT
et al., 1992; Piatak et al., 1993). Improvements in co-culture techniques have allowed the
isolation of HIV in virtually all AIDS patients, as well as in almost all seropositive individuals
with both early- and late-stage disease (Coombs et al., 1989; Schnittman et al., 1989; Ho et
al., 1989; Jackson et al., 1990).
Three laboratory workers with no other risk factors have developed AIDS or severe
immunosuppression after accidental exposure to concentrated clones of HTLV-IIIB in the
laboratory. In each case, the infecting strain was isolated from the infected individual (Blattner
et al., 1993). In addition, as of June 30, 1994, CDC had received reports of 42 health care
workers in the United States with documented, occupationally acquired HIV infection, of whom
15 have developed AIDS in the absence of other risk factors (CDC, 1994a). These individuals
all had evidence of HIV seroconversion following a discrete percutaneous or mucocutaneous
exposure to blood, body fluids, or other clinical laboratory specimens containing HIV. This
pattern of development of AIDS following HIV seroconversion is the same as that seen in
pediatric and adult blood transfusion cases, in mother-to-child transmission, and in prospective
cohort studies in which the time of seroconversion can be documented. (Andes et al., 1988;
Darby et al., 1989; Goedert et al., 1989; Ward et al., 1989; Rezza et al., 1989; Douard et al.,
1989; Andiman et al., 1990; Giesecke et al., 1990; Biggar et al., 1990; van Griensven et al.,
1990, 1993; Kind et al., 1992; European Collaborative Study, 1992; Turner et al., 1992; Fricke
et al., 1992; Phillips et al., 1991, 1992; Pedersen et al., 1993; Eyster et al., 1993; Lifson et al.,
1993; Keet et al., 1993; Sabin et al., 1993; Hessol et al., 1994; Osmond et al., 1994; Ashton,
et al., 1994).
A recent study demonstrated that an HIV variant that causes AIDS in humans also
causes a similar syndrome when injected into baboons (Bamett et al., 1994). Over the course
of two years, HIV-2-infected animals exhibited a significant decline in immune function, as well
as lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia, which often afflicts children with AIDS, the growth of
fibrous lesions similar to those seen in Kaposi's sarcoma, and severe weight loss akin to the

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