title: Detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in semen: effects of disease stage and nucleoside therapy.
abstract: The effects of clinical stage of infection and antiviral therapy on the detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) nucleic acids in semen were investigated by the polymerase chain reaction. HIV-1 was detected in 45 (87%) of 52 semen specimens from 29 (81%) of 36 men. Seventeen (77%) of 22 stage II or III subjects and 12 (86%) of 14 stage IV subjects had positive specimens. The CD4+ lymphocyte count was not significantly different comparing subjects with positive and negative semen. Moreover, 6 (67%) of 9 untreated men had positive specimens compared with 23 (85%) of 27 men treated with zidovudine, 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, or both for a mean of 20 months. Thus, the detection of HIV-1 in semen was independent of both stage of infection and long-term treatment. In a semiquantitative analysis of 6 men followed for 8 weeks after the start of nucleoside therapy, a decrease in HIV-1 RNA in seminal plasma was demonstrated in 2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center CA 94305.
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Hamed
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Winters
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holodniy
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Katzenstein
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Merigan
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D016049:Didanosine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D012661:Semen / Q000382:microbiology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral; D015215:Zidovudine; D016049:Didanosine