We'll review symptoms and clinically observed phenomena associated with initial infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Although the time from initial infection to acquired immunity varies greatly from individual to individual, two measurable quantities: total CD4+ T cell density and virus concentration in peripheral blood--change over time in a fairly repeatable manner. Not all CD4+ T cells are identical, however, and certain subsets of these cells must be considered when constructing dynamic models. How the different subsets arise and what functions they serve will be explained, as well as how HIV interacts with these different cell populations. Mathematical models of varying complexity capable of mimicking the early events--the rise and fall in viral load and decline in total CD4+ T cell density--will then be presented.

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