Cervical and vaginal shedding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected cells throughout the menstrual cycle.
Cervical and vaginal secretions from 17 women infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) were evaluated daily through the course of one menstrual cycle for HIV-1 DNA (21-31 visits per woman). HIV-1-infected cells were detected in 207 (46%) of 450 endocervical swabs and 74 (16%) of 449 vaginal swabs. There was considerable variability in the percentage of positive swabs from each woman, ranging from 4% to 100% of endocervical swabs and from 0 to 71% of vaginal swabs. In multivariate analyses, plasma HIV-1 RNA was significantly associated with shedding of HIV-1-infected cells; each 1-unit increase in the log of plasma virus load was associated with a 5.6-fold increase in the odds of cervical shedding (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-14.8) and a 3.9-fold increase in the odds of vaginal shedding (95% CI, 2.1-7.2). There was no discernible pattern of genital tract shedding with phase of the menstrual cycle and no significant association with serum estradiol or progesterone levels.
Mostad
S B
SB
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195, USA.
Jackson
S
S
Overbaugh
J
J
Reilly
M
M
Chohan
B
B
Mandaliya
K
K
Nyange
P
P
Ndinya-Achola
J
J
Bwayo
J J
JJ
Kreiss
J K
JK
D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014621:Vagina / Q000821:virology; D017201:Virus Shedding
D012367:RNA, Viral