title: Association between HSV-2 and HIV-1 viral load in semen, cervico-vaginal secretions and genital ulcers of Thai men and women.
abstract: We studied the association between herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) and HIV-1 viralload in plasma, semen, cervico-vaginal secretions and genital ulcers. Forty-seven (68%) men and 57 (80%) women were HSV-2 antibody positive, of whom 12 (26%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 20, 32) and five (8%, 95% CI 4, 12), respectively, had HSV-2 genital shedding detected by polymerase chain reaction. The mean HIV-1 seminal and cervico-vaginal viral loads did not differ significantly according to the presence of HSV-2 shedding. Eleven men and 15 women presented with genital ulcers; all ulcers were due to HSV-2. Ten men and nine women were followed up over six days: the mean (95% CI) HIV-1 log viral load copies/mL in the genital ulcers at baseline and final visits were 2.5 (2.3, 2.7) and 3.1 (2.0, 4.2) for men and 3.0 (2.6, 3.4) and 2.7 (2.3, 3.1) for women. These findings do not support the hypothesis that HSV-2 increases the HIV-1 viral load in genital secretions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Sukhum
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiamton
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pepin
authors.forename: Frances
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.forename: Bussakorn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mahakkanukrauh
authors.forename: Ruengpung
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suttent
authors.forename: Noah J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deslandes
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Frost
authors.forename: Pongsakdi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chaisilwattana
authors.forename: Puan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Suthipinittharm
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grosskurth
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Shabbar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jaffar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002353:Carrier State / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006558:Herpes Genitalis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D018258:Herpesvirus 2, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology*; D013785:Thailand; D014456:Ulcer / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014621:Vagina / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology*; D019562:Viral Load; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral