Higher Set Point Plasma Viral Load and More-Severe Acute HIV Type 1 (HIV-1) Illness Predict Mortality among High-Risk HIV-1-Infected African Women

Abstract

Among this group of African women, the survival rate was similar to that for HIV-1-infected individuals in industrialized nations before the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy. Higher set point viral load and more-severe acute HIV-1 illness predicted faster progression to death. Early identification of individuals at risk for rapid disease progression may allow closer clinical monitoring, including timely initiation of antiretroviral treatment.