Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

• Aerosolized pentamidine.
• Acute and intermittent therapy with mycostatin and mycelex.
• Isoniazid, if no alternative therapy is available.

Allowed for up to 2 weeks:

• Acyclovir for Herpes infection (withhold didanosine during therapy).
• Acute therapy with fluconazole or ketoconazole.

Allowed but preferably not on a continuous basis for > 72 hours:

• Acetaminophen.
• Ibuprofen.
• Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents.

Patients must be:

• HIV antibody positive.
• Asymptomatic or have persistent generalized lymphadenopathy.
• Diagnosed with one of the listed coagulopathies.
• OR Sexual partner of someone with the above criteria.

Allowed:

• Basal cell carcinoma or in situ carcinoma of the cervix.

NOTE:

• As of January, 1991 full accrual of patients with prior AZT use has been reached - NOW ACCRUING ONLY THOSE WITH NO PRIOR AZT USE. Hemophilia restriction has been lifted.

Prior Medication:

Allowed:

• Zidovudine (AZT) for a total of = or < 13 months.

NOTE:

• As of January, 1991 accrual of these patients was reached, NOW ONLY PATIENTS WITH NO PRIOR AZT.

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Patients with the following conditions or symptoms are excluded:

• Unexplained temperature > 38 degrees C for more than 5 consecutive days or on more than 10 days in any 30-day period in the 2 years prior to study entry.
• Unexplained diarrhea defined as at least 3 liquid stools/day persisting more than 7 days within 2 years prior to study entry.
• Unintentional weight loss of > 10 pounds or > 10 percent of usual body weight within 2 years prior to study entry.
• Oral hairy leukoplakia at any time prior to study entry.
• Recurrent oral candidiasis unrelated to the use of antibiotics within 2 years prior to entry or unrelated to the use of antibiotics within the past 3 months.
• Herpes zoster within 2 years prior to study entry.
• Seizures within the past 6 months or currently requiring anticonvulsants for control.
• Current heart disease.
• Current psychological or emotional problems sufficient in the investigator's opinion to prevent adequate compliance with study therapy.
• Gout.

Concurrent Medication:

Excluded:

• Rifampin.
• Chemoprophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia other than aerosolized pentamidine.
• Intravenous pentamidine.
• Other antiretroviral agents, experimental medication, biological response modifiers, systemic corticosteroids, cimetidine, and ranitidine.
• Barbiturates.
• Oral acidifying agents.

Patients with a history of any of the following are excluded:

• AIDS-defining opportunistic infection, advanced AIDS-related complex, or malignancy.
• Acute or chronic pancreatitis.
• Grade 2 or higher neuropathy based on the Neuropathy Targeted Symptom Questionnaire.
• Seizures.
• Zidovudine therapy for = or > 13 months.
• Heart disease.
• Psychological or emotional problems sufficient in the investigator's opinion to prevent adequate compliance with study therapy.
• Gout.

Prior Medication:

Excluded within 4 weeks of study entry:

• Antiretroviral agents, including ribavirin, HPA-23, rifampin, AL721.
• Excluded within 3 months of study entry:
• Significant course of immunomodulating agents, such as steroids (> 1 week), isoprinosine, thymic factors, or any other experimental drugs.
• Excluded within 30 days prior to study entry:
• Neurotoxic drugs.

Excluded:

• Didanosine (ddI).
• Dideoxycytidine (ddC).
• Zidovudine (AZT) if received for > 13 months.

Prior Treatment:

Excluded within 3 months of entry:

• Other experimental therapy.

History of recent alcohol abuse.