title: Using live pathogens to treat infectious diseases: a historical perspective on the relationship between GB virus C and HIV.
abstract: Recent reports that co-infection with GB virus C (GBV-C) is associated with a reduced mortality in HIV-infected individuals, a slower progression to AIDS, and lower HIV viral loads, suggest a potential role of GBV-C as therapy for HIV infection. Although not known to cause any human disease, GBV-C was only recently discovered and prospective studies assessing long-term consequences of infection have not been completed. Our understanding of the host-viral interactions between humans and GBV-C is in its infancy. Further research into the intriguing relationship between GBV-C and HIV is needed before intentional inoculation of GBV-C into individuals infected with HIV should proceed. This essay explores the history of the once-popular treatment of paretic tertiary syphilis with the blood-borne pathogen Plasmodium vivax, providing a historical perspective on the current state of affairs between GBV-C and HIV. A brief review of GBV-C biology and human infection is followed by a discussion of the current challenges facing the use of this organism to treat HIV.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tenn., USA. daronoff@umich.edu
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Aronoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001691:Biological Therapy / Q000379:methods; D018178:Flaviviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D029407:GB virus C / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D009494:Neurosyphilis / Q000628:therapy; D010966:Plasmodium vivax