ABSTRACT
After entering the body through the blood or via a mucosal surface, HIV localizes in regional lymph nodes where it replicates in susceptible cells. The initial infection is facilitated by an interaction between the virus and monocyte-derived dendritic cells found in skin and mucosal surfaces (Reece et al., 1998). The course of primary HIV infection is characterized clinically in up to 70% of individuals by a glandular fever-like syndrome with symptoms including fever, headache, lethargy, sore throat and lymphadenopathy (Pantaleo et al., 1993a). These symptoms generally occur within 3 to 6 weeks of infection, although this period may be longer when the dose of virus transmitted is low (such as in a needle-stick injury).
