Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of HIV-1 RNA and DNA loads in blood and the female genital tract.
OBJECTIVE
To examine if correlates of HIV-1 genital shedding in cross-sectional studies can be used to determine the risk of shedding in individual HIV-1-positive women.


METHODS
Longitudinal samples from blood and cervix were obtained from 18 HIV-1 infected women, and HIV-1 RNA and cell-associated DNA virus, and beta-chemokine levels, were measured. Associations between variables were analyzed at both individual and group level.


RESULTS
The variation over time was 2.9-, 2.1-, and 2.3-fold in plasma RNA, PBMC DNA and cervical RNA load, respectively, and reached 6.2-fold in cervical DNA load. Differences were observed between associations in individual- and group-level comparisons, suggesting that a separate reservoir of HIV replication may exist in the genital tract of some women, which is influenced by local environmental factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study underscores the importance of caution during contact with genital fluids at all stages of infection and disease regardless of treatment and HIV-1 blood loads.
Iversen
Astrid K N
AK
Human Immunology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9AD, UK. aiversen@hammer.imm.ox.ac.uk
Attermann
Jørn
J
Gerstoft
Jan
J
Fugger
Lars
L
Mullins
James I
JI
Skinhøj
Peter
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019742:Chemokines, CC / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*
D019742:Chemokines, CC; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral