Primary HIV infection is a critical and highly dynamic time period in the course of HIV infection. The initial pathologic processes are important in determining long-term disease progression. In the absence of our ability to eradicate the virus, identifying individuals during primary HIV infection and performing interventions that optimize outcome are important to provide adequate care to a newly infected patient and, from a public health perspective, to identify sexual networks and provide a platform to reduce HIV exposures during a time of high viremia.