Dictionary definition of “discordant couple”

discordant couple

n. a pair of long-term sexual partners, such as a married couple, in which one is infected with a sexually transmitted disease and the other is not. Subjects: English, Health, Medical, Jargon

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Citations: 1990 USA Today/Gannett Nat. Info. Network (Apr. 22) “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report” @ Usenet: sci.med.aids (Apr. 24, 1990) (David Canzi) “HICN 314 News—excerpts”: The physician who performed the inseminations reported that in January 1990 a second HIV-1-discordant couple (i.e., seropositive husband with hemophilia, sero negative wife) underwent one insemination using the same density gradient centrifugation procedure. Nine weeks after the insemination, the woman was negative for HIV-1 antibody by EIA and Western blot and for proviral HIV-1 DNA by polymerase chain reaction. 1990 Kay Longcope Boston Globe (Mass.) (Aug. 23) “Aids Threat To Women Increasing”: Jim, 31, says he and his wife, June, are “a discordant couple,” meaning that one is infected with the AIDS virus and the other isn’t. 2004 [Big Issue Writer] East African Standard (Nairobi, Kenya) (July 26) “Aids Spread Relief”: In the discordant couple phenomenon, one partner is HIV-positive, while the other remains negative, even as they continue to live together as man and wife or simply maintain a long-term relations.

Posted 28 Jul 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend