title: HIV RNA and proviral HIV DNA can be detected in semen after 6 months of antiretroviral therapy although HIV RNA is undetectable in blood.
abstract: The risk of sexual transmission of HIV is strongly correlated with amounts of genital HIV RNA. Few studies have reported amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA in semen in HIV-infected Chinese patients undergoing antiviral treatment (ART). In this observational study, the amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA in semen were assessed after six months of ART in HIV-infected Chinese individuals, when HIV RNA was undetectable in blood . This study included 19 HIV-infected Chinese men undergoing ART for six months. Amounts of HIV in paired semen and blood samples were assessed using real-time PCR. The C2-V5 region of the HIV envelope (env) genes was cloned and sequenced and genotype and co-receptor usage predicted based on the sequence. It was found that HIV RNA was undetectable in the plasma of most patients (17/19), whereas HIV RNA could be detected in the semen of most patients (16/19). HIV DNA could be detected in both semen and blood. Genetic diversity of HIV between the seminal and blood compartments was identified. Thus, amounts of HIV RNA and HIV DNA remain high in semen of HIV-infected Chinese patients after six months of ART treatment, even when HIV RNA was undetectable in blood.
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital.
authors.forename: Peiwei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital.
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children by Ministry of Education, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University.|Laboratory of Immunology, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University.
authors.forename: Yanmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiao
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital.
authors.forename: Cuie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital.
authors.forename: Taiyi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: MOH Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens and AIDS Research Center, Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Weijun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital.
authors.forename: Yunxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Beijing You'an Hospital.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012661:Semen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000821:virology*; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D010446:Peptide Fragments; D012367:RNA, Viral; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
keywords: HIV; antiviral treatment; semen