Question

An HIV infection detectable by PCR that does not also show antibody formation indicates what stage of infection?

1) Acute infection
2) Window period
3) Chronic infection
4) Late-stage infection

Answer 1

A patient with an HIV infection detectable by PCR and a CD4 T cell count of 700/μL without antibody formation or symptoms is at Stage 1: Acute HIV infection.

Step-by-step explanation:

An HIV infection detectable by PCR but not showing antibody formation suggests that the infection is in the acute stage, also known as the window period. During the window period, the body has not yet produced detectable levels of antibodies against HIV, even though the virus is present and can be detected by tests that identify viral RNA, such as PCR. This stage occurs shortly after the initial infection.

The patient in the scenario has a CD4 T cell count of 700/μL and does not exhibit any symptoms of illness, which is characteristic of the acute infection stage (Stage 1) where the count of CD4 T cells is more than 500 cells/μL. Given these factors, the patient's infection is in Stage 1: Acute HIV infection (Answer A).