Newly Diagnosed HIV in an Octogenarian Woman: A Case Report on Delayed Diagnosis in Vulnerable Populations

TL;DR

An elderly woman was diagnosed with HIV while being treated for lymphoma, showing the need for better awareness and testing in vulnerable older populations.

Contribution

Highlights the importance of HIV testing in elderly, socially isolated individuals without traditional risk factors.

Findings

An 85-year-old woman with no known HIV risk factors was diagnosed with HIV during lymphoma staging.

Antiretroviral therapy led to immunologic improvement and viral suppression in the patient.

The case emphasizes the need for increased HIV testing in vulnerable elderly populations.

Abstract

HIV infection in elderly individuals is often under recognized due to stigma, low clinical suspicion, and communication barriers. We present the case of an 85‐year‐old woman from a rural area who was diagnosed with HIV during staging workup for newly diagnosed diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma. Her HIV viral load was 70,650 copies/mL and CD4 count was 83 cells/mm3 at diagnosis. She was illiterate, socially isolated, and had no known risk factors. Antiretroviral therapy was initiated with Biktarvy, resulting in gradual immunologic improvement and viral suppression. This case highlights the need to consider HIV testing in older adults with social vulnerability, even when classical risk factors are absent.