title: Chronic herpes simplex virus type-2 infection and HIV viral load.
abstract: By December 2003, the estimated adult HIV/AIDS prevalence rate in sub-Saharan Africa was 7.5-8.5%, and rates of herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) infection among adults aged >30 years ranged from 60% to 82%. However, little is known about the natural history of HIV/HSV-2 co-infection in this population. We evaluated HIV viral load and CD4+ cell counts among persons with and without chronic HSV-2 co-infection in a cross-sectional study of HIV-infected persons not receiving antiretroviral therapy. HSV-2 and HIV co-infection was associated with a 0.3 log copies/mL higher HIV viral load compared with persons without HSV-2 infection (P=0.014). Chronic HSV-2 infection may have a negative effect on the clinical course of persons with HIV.
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA. duffuswa@dhec.sc.gov
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Duffus
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mermin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bunnell
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Byers
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Odongo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ekwaru
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Downing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D019562:Viral Load