HIV Often Misdiagnosed in Aging Patients, Conference Told

Older people are likely to have increased rates of HIV infection following the recent widespread availability of the impotence drug Viagra, reported Nigel Aberdour, coordinator of St. Luke's Nursing Service HIV/AIDS Unit, at the Aged and Community Services Australia conference in Adelaide Tuesday. However, symptoms of HIV in older Australians are often misdiagnosed as age-related, said Aberdour. "If you had a man over 60 in your surgery presenting with declining concentration and failing memory, are you likely to think HIV?" he asked. "You are more likely to consider the symptoms as part of the aging process, or possible early signs of Alzheimer's disease," he said.

"It is essential that doctors consider taking sexual and drug histories from their older patients and subsequently consider HIV testing based on risk," Aberdour said. "Research has shown that the majority of people over 50 years in the United States are diagnosed with HIV at an advanced stage of their illness," he said. "The opportunity for early intervention is lost." Aberdour said transmission, prevention, and health care for the aging HIV/AIDS community are looming as a growing challenge for Australia's aged care sector.

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