Pathogenesis of Infection with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was first described in 1981, but it has since reached epidemic proportions, with over 38,000 cases reported in the United States alone and a three-year mortality rate of more than 90 percent.1 2 3 4 It is estimated that 1 to 2 million Americans are already infected with the etiologic agent of AIDS, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).4 In addition, the Public Health Service recently predicted that approximately 270,000 cases of AIDS will have developed by 1991.5 Worldwide, thousands of Europeans and possibly millions of Africans are also infected with HIV.6 HIV, also known as lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV), . . .