Human Immunodeficiency Virus Misdiagnosis in a Patient Presenting with Clinical Features of AIDS in Malawi: A Case Report

Mictum Miggo¹, Innocent Khuliwa¹, Denilson Eugenio¹, Mathews Saindi¹, Thokozani Nankhonya¹,
Richard Kamalizeni¹, Emma Kamoto¹, Felistus Kazingatchire^1,3, Patience Chikuse1, Hamstone
Lwesha⁴, Johnstone J. Kumwenda²

1. St. Joseph’s Mission Hospital –Nguludi, Malawi
2. Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Blantyre, Malawi
3. Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Malawi
4. Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malawi
   *Corresponding Author: Mictum Miggo; E-mail: mictummiggo@live.com

Abstract
A 27-year-old man presented with a history of weight loss and generally feeling unwell for more than 2 years. He had several negative HIV rapid tests. His wife had a positive HIV test in 2023 during screening while she was pregnant with their first child. When HIV RNA test was requested, it was positive with a viral load of 1,740, 000 copies/ml. In patients in high HIV prevalence settings suspected to have HIV infection with repeated negative rapid antibody diagnostic tests, HIV RNA testing should be requested to exclude infection.
Key words: Human Immunodeficiency Virus, misdiagnosis, false negative HIV antibody tests