title: Herpes viruses and HIV-1 drug resistance mutations influence the virologic and immunologic milieu of the male genital tract.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To further understand the role that chronic viral infections of the male genital tract play on HIV-1 dynamics and replication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, observational study including 236 paired semen and blood samples collected from 115 recently HIV-1 infected antiretroviral naive men who have sex with men.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we evaluated the association of seminal HIV-1 shedding to coinfections with seven herpes viruses, blood plasma HIV-1 RNA levels, CD4 T-cell counts, presence of transmitted drug resistance mutations (DRMs) in HIV-1 pol, participants' age and stage of HIV-infection using multivariate generalized estimating equation methods. Associations between herpes virus shedding, seminal HIV-1 levels, number and immune activation of seminal T-cells was also investigated (Mann-Whitney).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seminal herpes virus shedding was observed in 75.7% of individuals. Blood HIV-1 RNA levels (P < 0.01) and seminal cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human herpes virus (HHV)-8 levels (P < 0.05) were independent predictors of detectable seminal HIV-1 RNA; higher seminal HIV-1 levels were associated with CMV and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) seminal shedding, and absence of DRM (P < 0.05). CMV and EBV seminal shedding was associated with higher number of seminal T-lymphocytes, but only presence of seminal CMV DNA was associated with increased immune activation of T-lymphocytes in semen and blood.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite high median CD4 T-cells numbers, we found a high frequency of herpes viruses seminal shedding in our cohort. Shedding of CMV, EBV and HHV-8 and absence of DRM were associated with increased frequency of HIV-1 shedding and/or higher levels of HIV-1 RNA in semen, which are likely important cofactors for HIV-1 transmission.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0679, USA. gianella@ucsd.edu
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Gianella
authors: Sheldon R
authors: SR
authors: Morris
authors: Christy
authors: C
authors: Anderson
authors: Celsa A
authors: CA
authors: Spina
authors: Milenka V
authors: MV
authors: Vargas
authors: Jason A
authors: JA
authors: Young
authors: Douglas D
authors: DD
authors: Richman
authors: Susan J
authors: SJ
authors: Little
authors: Davey M
authors: DM
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D060085:Coinfection; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000276:immunology*; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000821:virology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D012367:RNA, Viral; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000821:virology*; D017201:Virus Shedding
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral