from Medical Issues

New York Public Health Officials
Alarmed Over Dangerous Strain Of HIV

February 14, 2005 - Public Health officials in New York City are becoming increasingly concerned over the discovery of a rare and dangerous form of HIV that was found in a 40-year-old gay male in December.

The man had a history of engaging in unprotected sex with multiple partners. He was also a user of methamphetamines.

The man had tested positive for HIV in 2003 but in December had already had symptoms of AIDS. Blood tests showed a high level of the virus. The virus also showed resistance in treatment from four different drugs.

Dr. David Ho, who oversaw the testing, said, "All the evidence led to the conclusion that it was a very recent infection that led to very rapid progression, and was already highly drug resistant."

Dr. Ron Valdiserri with the CDC's National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention has noted: "It's every alarming. We would hope that this case could serve as a wake-up call that we're still dealing with a very formidable adversary in HIV."

New York officials believe the man developed AIDS in only two or three months after his initial infection. The normal lag time between HIV infection and AIDS is from nine to 11 years. There is concern that this has already spread to the man's other sexual partners and could spread outside of New York.