Hemolytic uremic syndrome as a primary manifestation of acute human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome may be associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection but it occurs in advanced stages of human immunodeficiency virus disease. As in other forms of hemolytic uremic syndrome plasmapheresis seems to be the treatment of choice. The authors present an unusual case of hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with acute human immunodeficiency virus infection in a 38 year-old black male. The patient was admitted with fever, asthenia, nausea, diarrhea, and reduced urinary output. He was found to have anemia, thrombocytopenia and severe renal failure. Hemolytic uremic syndrome was diagnosed and he was started on plasmapheresis and hemodialysis. Serological tests were consistent with acute human immunodeficiency virus infection: the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for human immunodeficiency virus was weakly positive, Western Blot test was negative and human immunodeficiency virus RNA quantification was positive, with > 1,000,000 copies/microl. After 4 daily treatment sessions, patient's clinical condition improved and hemoglobin, platelets, lactic dehydrogenase and renal function normalized.