title: The impact of active herpes simplex virus infection on human immunodeficiency virus load.
abstract: The effect of a concurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) load was evaluated. Sixteen subjects were identified with an active HSV infection and had pre-outbreak, acute-phase, and post-outbreak plasma (n = 16) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) (n = 8) samples for evaluation. All subjects were treated for an acute HSV outbreak with acyclovir for 10 days, followed by chronic prophylaxis. HIV-1 plasma RNA levels were determined by branched DNA, and intracellular HIV gag mRNA copy numbers were determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction ELISA. Plasma virus load increased a median of 3.4-fold during the acute outbreak (range, 0- to 10-fold; P = .002), while post-outbreak levels (30-45 days after the appearance of lesions) remained above pre-outbreak, baseline levels in some subjects. Intracellular HIV gag mRNA increased during the outbreak as well. Thus, an acute HSV episode can result in increased HIV transcription and plasma virus load.
authors.affiliation: ARC-AIDS Research Center, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, California 94304, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mole
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ripich
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Margolis
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Holodniy
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015683:Gene Products, gag; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D012367:RNA, Viral