[Dementia-paranoid syndrome as the initial manifestation of AIDS. Case report and diagnostic overview].

A 33-year-old HIV-1-positive man developed dementia and a paranoid symptomatology with auditory hallucinations as the first manifestation of AIDS. The immunodeficiency syndrome is currently represented only by the immunohistochemical findings (CD4 216/microliters; CD4/CD8 ratio 0.12); no other manifestations of the disease are present. According to the literature about 15% of patients suffering from AIDS are likely to develop dementia during the course of the disease, usually after preceding opportunistic infections, severe systemic illness, or neoplasm. The manifestation of the disease solely by dementia is a rare phenomenon and represents, particularly if the incident of infection is cryptic, a diagnostic challenge.