Killian, Michael ScottVyas, Girish N.Mehta, RochakYoung, KarenEbrahim, Osman2013-02-052013-02-052012-09-11Killian et al.: Possible transmission of human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection from an elite controller to a patient who progressed to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: a case report. Journal of Medical Case Reports 2012 6:291.1752-1947 (print)1752-1947 (online)10.1186/1752-1947-6-291http://hdl.handle.net/2263/20941INTRODUCTION : Most individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus-1, in the absence of antiretroviral therapy, exhibit persistent virus replication and declining CD4+ cell numbers, and progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome within 10 years of infection. Elite controllers are rare individuals with human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection who can maintain undetectable plasma virus levels and remain asymptomatic without antiretroviral therapy. It has been proposed that elite controllers benefit from being infected with attenuated human immunodeficiency virus-1 variants. CASE PRESENTATION : A 31-year-old African woman presented with human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection during pregnancy and was diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Subsequently, her husband, a 31-year-old African man, was tested and found to be seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus-1. His plasma human immunodeficiency virus-1 ribonucleic acid level was found to be below the limit of detection of the clinical assay. CONCLUSION : This report provides evidence for the first described case of human immunodeficiency virus-1 infection possibly transmitted from an elite controller to a patient who progressed to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This observation strengthens the case against avirulence as a mechanism that protects elite controllers.en© 2012 Killian et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution LicenseHuman immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)HIV infections -- TransmissionAIDS (Disease)Article