Feasibility of Identifying, Enrolling and Following Acute and Early HIV-1 Infected Individuals.

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Feasibility of Identifying, Enrolling and Following Acute and Early HIV-1 Infected Individuals.

It is only between peak viremia and viral setpoint in natural acute HIV-1 infection that the immune response overwhelms viral replication resulting in a plasma viral load decline. The aim will be to characterize these immune responses, how they develop and their progeny. This will require the need to identify HIV-1 infected individuals before peak viremia and follow them to post viral setpoint.

This protocol describes a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of identifying, enrolling and following acute and early HIV-1 infected individuals from voluntary counselling and testing centres in Masaka, Bukomansimbi, Kalungu, Lwengo, Sembababule and Lyantonde districts.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Females and males.
• Able and willing to provide informed consent.
• Willing to undergo HIV testing using GeneX pert Viral Load assay.
• Able and willing to provide accurate locator information for tracking purposes and willing to be contacted by study staff.
• Willing to complete interviewer administered questionnaires on risk factors and if infected, questions related to the route and timing of exposure.

Exclusion Criteria:

Has any condition that in the opinion of the principal investigator or designee, would preclude provision of informed consent, or otherwise interfere with achieving the study objectives.

• Participation in a current clinical trial unless approved by the investigators and IAVI medical monitor.