TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………………………………….1
HIV INFECTION IN THE ERA OF ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY …………………..1
ACUTE HIV INFECTION: THE EARLIEST EVENTS …………………………………5
CD4+ T CELL RECOVERY DURING ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY …………………………9
CSF HIV ESCAPE DURING ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY ……………………………….10
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE ………………………………………………………………14
METHODS ………………………………………………………………….14
STUDY PARTICIPANTS ……………………………………………………………………….14
SAMPLING AND LABORATORY TESTING …………………………………………………17
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS ………………………………………………………………..19
AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS ………………………………………………………………….19
RESULTS: PROJECT 1 ………………………………………………………………20
STUDY PARTICIPANT CHARACTERISTICS …………………………………………………….20
CD4+ T CELL RECOVERY AFTER ART IN ACUTE HIV ………………………………20
BASELINE PRE-ART PREDICTORS OF CD4 RECOVERY AFTER ART ……………….25
ON-ART FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CD4 RECOVERY …………………………….28
INDEPENDENT EFFECT OF PRE- AND ON-ART FACTORS ON CD4 RECOVERY ……..32
RESULTS: PROJECT 2 ………………………………………………………..35
STUDY PARTICIPANT CHARACTERISTICS ………………………………………35
CLINICAL COURSE OF CSF ESCAPE DURING TREATMENT IN ACUTE HIV INFECTION ………………………37
DISCUSSION ……………………………………………………………………………39
CD4+ T CELL RECOVERY IN ACUTE HIV INFECTION ………………………………………39
CSF ESCAPE IN ACUTE HIV INFECTION …………………………………………………45
CONCLUSIONS …………………………………………………………………………47
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ………………………………………………………………………….48
REFERENCES …………………………………………………………………………………………..49