title: Shedding of HIV-1 subtype E in semen and cervico-vaginal fluid.
abstract: The uneven expansion of HIV-1 subtypes in each transmitted group raises the possibility that some viruses have less/more potential by qualitative/quantitative for heterosexual transmission compared to others. In Thailand, HIV-1 subtype E is mainly spread via heterosexual route and accounts for about 95 per cent of the infected cases. To determine whether high sexual infectivity of HIV-1 subtype E is due to the presence of a virus in genital fluid, we conducted a study to characterize shedding of HIV-1 in seminal and cervico-vaginal fluids of 30 HIV-1 subtype E infected Thai couples by PCR and virus isolation methods. All subjects had no HIV-associated diseases and other sexually transmitted diseases. HIV-1 subtype E DNA was detected in 22/30 (77.33%) of cervico-vaginal and also 22/30 (77.33%) of seminal fluid samples. The isolation rate of HIV-1 from semen and cervico-vaginal secretion was 36.67 per cent and 16.67 per cent, respectively. Number of HIV-1 subtype E DNA copies in the blood is reversely correlated with the number of blood CD4+ T cells, while that in genital fluid was not related to CD4+ T cell count. An increase in shedding of HIV- DNA subtype E in female genital tract compared to other HIV subtypes reported by other investigators might be one reason to explain the rapid spread of subtype E by heterosexual transmission in Thailand.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sutthent
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaisilwattana
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Roongpisuthipong
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wirachsilp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Samrangsarp
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaiyakul
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Puthavathana
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wasi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology*; D015229:Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral