Advanced Research Journal of Immunology and Virology Vol. 1 (4), pp. 064-068, December, 2013. Available online at www.advancedscholarsjournals.org © Advanced Scholars Journals Case Report Geriatric human immune deficiency virus (HIV) Infection in Nigeria: A case‐series report Afe Abayomi Joseph 1 *, A. K. Salami 2 and L. O. Odeigah 1 1 Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, P. O.Box 10047, GPO, Marina, Lagos, Nigeria. 2 University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital,Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. Accepted 25 November, 2013 This study involves a case‐series of 3 elderly male patients with human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection managed between 2009 and 2010 at the antiretroviral clinic (ART) University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. They were all within the age range of 73 to 100 years and had multiple sexual partners. They were also co‐managed for hypertension, diabetes mellitus and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Baseline CD4 count was < 350 cell/mm 3 for all of them and their chemistry and haematology results were within normal ranges. Sputum acid fast bacilli (AFB) was also negative. They all had first-line anti retroviral (ARV) therapy and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis. Initially, adherence was perfect in all of them (≥ 95%) especially as their relatives who double as the treatment‐partners ensured their regular intake of ARV and clinic attendance but later adherence became poor (< 80%) which was reflected in the fallen CD4 counts. Reasons for this include dementia and polypharmacy. One developed severe anaemia due to zidovudine (ZDV)‐induced bone marrow suppression and was appropriately managed. Two of the three cases died < 2 years post ‐HIV diagnosis. Conclusively, geriatric HIV infection management entails multidisciplinary approach and a sound working knowledge of antiretroviral therapy with all the peculiar charateristics in the elderly. Key words: Human immune deficiency virus (HIV), geriatric, adherence, highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), people living with HIV (PLHIV). INTRODUCTION Geriatrics, known as the care of the elderly (≥ 65 years), is fraught with multiple pathologies. These illnesses or disabilities can be categorized into „age‐determined‟, which are as a result of the inevitable changes associated with the aging process, or„age‐related‟ which result from an accumulation of risk factors such as poor nutrition, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol intake, lack of exercise and unprotected exposure to multiple sexual partners (Walensky et al., 2006). The latter group can therefore be slowed down or prevented by a healthy lifestyle and adoption of health promotion measures while the former group of morbidities are to a large extent inevitable. Human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infection in the elderly fall into the latter category. Since the discovery of HIV 30 years ago, there has been a substantial increase in the average age of HIV infected patients worldwide. Much of this increase is because of improved survival of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART), changes in behavior that have resulted in HIV-1 seroconversion at a more advanced age and a lack of clinical suspicion of HIV-1 infection, which leads to diagnostic delays in older individuals (UK Collaborative HIV Cohort (CHIC) Study Steering Committee, 2007; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1998). *Corresponding author. E-mail: abayomiafe@yahoo.com.