NEW YORK –Health officials said Friday a man has been diagnosed with a rare strain ofhighly drug-resistant HIV that quickly progressed to AIDS.
“We are notaware of another case like this in the United States, or elsewhere,” said Dr.Ron Valdiserri, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention’s National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention.
The case wasfound in a man in his mid-40s who had unprotected sex with other men, oftenwhile using crystal methamphetamine, an addictive stimulant.
HealthCommissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden said the rare HIV strain is “difficult orimpossible to treat.” City health officials are working with the CDC to findother possible cases.
The man — whohad not previously undergone antiviral drug treatment — was diagnosed with therare strain in December 2004.
He apparentlyhad been infected recently after years of having unprotected anal intercourse.
The onset ofAIDS appears to have occurred within two to three months, and at most 20months, after infection.
Drug resistanceis increasingly common among HIV-positive people, including some who had neverbeen treated before, but not with such a fast progression to AIDS, Valdiserrisaid.
HIV can take asmany as 10 years to develop into AIDS, Friedan noted.
The man’s HIVdid not respond to three of four types of antiviral drugs most commonlyprescribed; he is now receiving a fourth regimen, health officials said.
