An 82-year-old woman in Korea was recently diagnosed with HIV, and the case has left many puzzled.
She claimed to have had no sexual contact since her husband passed away from heart disease more than 20 years ago.
Living alone in rural Korea, the woman shocked the medical community with her diagnosis, as HIV is exceptionally rare in individuals her age, especially those with no known risk factors. Following the diagnosis, she told doctors she had not engaged in any sexual activity since her husband’s death.
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In Korea, most HIV cases are reported among individuals aged 20 to 40.
According to a case study published in the latest issue of Clinical Case Reports on Thursday, and reported by Korea JoongAng Daily, a Korean medical team diagnosed the woman as HIV-positive during a blood test conducted ahead of chemotherapy for lymphoma last year.
Could it have been the late husband?
Her late husband had undergone multiple procedures and tests while hospitalised at a university hospital for heart disease. However, the woman’s family stated that he had no known history or risk factors associated with HIV, making transmission through him unlikely.
What’s even more baffling is that the woman has never been hospitalised or undergone surgery, including blood transfusions.
Other recognized transmission routes such as intravenous drug use and tattoos were also ruled out, as she had never engaged in those activities.
Doctors estimate that she contracted the virus years ago through an undetermined pathway, citing her high viral load and relatively preserved immune function, as indicated by her CD4 cell count.
Experts emphasised that rather than focusing solely on the unknown transmission route, the case highlights the lack of HIV screening among older adults.
The HIV tests for her children also came back negative.
