HIV-2 infection with a long asymptomatic period

We give details of a patient infected with HIV-2 which had what we believe to be the longest asymptomatic period so far reported. The infection was probably acquired through a blood transfusion in Africa 27 years ago. At present the patient remains asymptomatic and her cellular defence mechanisms, evaluated by CD4+ lymphocyte counts and hypersensitivity skin tests, are not severely compromised. HIV-2 has some distinct epidemiological, clinical and biological features which are different from the related HIV-1 and deserve investigation in order for its natural history to be better understood.