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A seronegative case of HIV-1 subtype C infection in Botswana.

Novitsky V, Gaolathe T, Woldegabriel E, Makhema J, Essex M

Botswana-Harvard School of Public Health AIDS Initiative Partnership for HIV Research and Education, Princess Marina Hospital, Gaborone, Botswana.

We report the first case, to our knowledge, of antibody-negative human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C infection, which was identified during screening for acute HIV-1 infection in Botswana. Results of tests for HIV-1 antibodies were consistently negative, including rapid and regular enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot. The nonrecombinant HIV-1 subtype C infection was confirmed by viral genotyping within the gag, pol, and env genes. The period between referral of the patient in a clinically stable condition and AIDS-related death was approximately 3 months. The reported case indicates the importance of studying the prevalence of seronegative HIV-1 infection in southern Africa, where subtype C predominates.

Published 8 August 2007 in Clin Infect Dis, 45(5): e68-71.
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