Pilot Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Zidovudine in Preventing CD4+ Lymphocyte Decline in Patients With Primary HIV Infection. (One Treatment Arm Receives Placebo)

Inclusion Criteria Concurrent Medication: Allowed: * Medications for nausea, vomiting, analgesia, or anxiety. Patients must have: * Asymptomatic or symptomatic primary HIV infection, plus one of the following two criteria: 1. p24 antigenemia documented within 1 month prior to study entry and either HIV enzyme immunoassay (IA) negative or HIV IA positive with Western blot negative/indeterminate, within 1 month prior to study entry. 2. Documented seroconversion within 1 month prior to study entry and Western blot negative/indeterminate. * Consent of parent or guardian if less than 18 years of age. Exclusion Criteria Co-existing Condition: Patients with the following condition are excluded: * poor venous access. Concurrent Medication: Excluded: * Chronic steroid use. * Immunomodulators. * Myelosuppressive agents. * Other antiretroviral agents or experimental therapies (NOTE: FDA-approved therapies permitted in patients who qualify after week 24; experimental therapies permitted after study week 48).