HIV/AIDS selective infectivity–report of two peculiar cases

AbstractWe report two peculiar cases that were observed in two communities of Anambra State, South East Nigeria. The first case was a woman of 44 with a history of blood transfusion from a donor of questionable HIV status. A pint of blood was transfused in a private Hospital on the 15 th January, 2000. She has had no form of antiviral therapy until 22nd April, 2008 when she came to the hospital for routine medical check up. Her HIV result came out confirmed positive while that of her husband came out negative. She has had active sexual life with her husband in the previous eight years as they have had some difficulties in getting their desired extra two children having earlier gotten a boy and a girl. The second case involves a family of six. A couple with four children of ages about 6 months, 2 years, 3 years and 5 years. The youngest, a female presented with fever and multiple lymphadenopathy. She tested HIV positive and so was her mother and her second sibling. But her father and two other siblings remained negative at post three and six months intervals from their very first test date with us. These reported cases appear to go contrary to earlier formed opinion on HIV transmission. We support the opinion on a naturally, occurring substance, APOBEC3G which possibly confers permanent immunity against the HIV virus. We recommend clinical trials of the characterized APOBEC3G as a vaccine for non HIV infected persons of all ages and to people living with as a therapeutic drug