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

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.