New York Testing for More Severe HIV Cases
New York City is testing several more patients who may be infected with a virulent form of HIV, first detected in a city man in mid-February, The New York Times reported Wednesday.
Health officials stressed that they can't yet say whether the men have been infected with the dangerous strain, which is resistant to most antiretroviral drugs and appears to progress to full-blown AIDS much faster than typical strains. Those now being tested were tracked down by investigators who consulted with the person originally infected -- a gay man in his late 40s who had unsafe sex with many partners while using the street drug crystal methamphetamine, the newspaper reported.
The man reportedly told investigators he had sex with more than 100 men over several months and couldn't remember many of their names, the Times said. Many of the possible partners contacted were previously infected with HIV, the newspaper added.
Investigators have tracked down "fewer than 10" men who may have HIV strains related to the original patient's, the paper reported, quoting an unidentified city health official.
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