Study Shows Medicine for HSV Affects HIV
A
clinical study published in The New England Journal of Medicine on February
22
showed that a particular treatment for herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)
helps control
HIV and may be able to lower rates of transmission. The study took place
in Burkina
Faso among women who were HIV positive and also had HSV-2. They were taking
the
medicine valacyclovir (brand name “Valtrex”) at a dose of
500 mg twice a day to control
their HSV and were not taking strong anti-HIV medications. Results of
the study showed
that the number of times genital HIV was detected over a period of time
was reduced for
women taking valacyclovir. Because of the reduced frequency that genital
HIV was
detected and the reduced frequency of genital herpes ulcers, it is hoped
that transmission
of HIV would be reduced. However, this does not mean that HIV transmission
would be
eliminated. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT PEOPLE WITH HIV WHO TAKE THIS
MEDICATION CAN HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX. Interesting, taking this HSV-2
medication also considerably reduced plasma HIV (the amount of HIV in
the blood) and
this continued to reduce over time. This implies that anyone with HSV-2/HIV
co-
infection should consider treatment with anti-HSV medications. Many people
living with
HIV have the HSV-2 virus. A simple blood test is available to detect antibodies
to HSV-2
to determine if people have been exposed to HSV-2 and should consider
a treatment
regime that includes anti-HSV medication.
~CM and John Falkenberg
Source: Nagot, N., et al. (2007). "Reduction of HIV-1 RNA Levels
with Therapy to
Suppress Herpes Simplex Virus." The New England Journal of Medicine,
356;8.
