The anti-herpes drug acyclovir did not reduce the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted HIV when given to men and women infected with herpes simplex

The anti-herpes drug acyclovir did not reduce the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted HIV when given to men and women infected with herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), according to a recently concluded clinical trial funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Multiple studies indicate that people infected with HSV-2 are at increased risk of acquiring HIV. These findings dampen researcher speculation that the use of acyclovir, a safe and widely used herpes drug, could reduce HIV transmission by suppressing HSV-2 and preventing genital sores and breaks in the skin.

Results from the Phase III clinical study, which was conducted by the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN), were presented this week at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston. The study, known as HPTN 039, is the largest clinical study ever conducted to examine herpes suppression as a possible means of reducing the risk of HIV transmission.

"Although HPTN 039 did not yield a successful result with regard to herpes suppression as a possible tool for HIV prevention, the concept of treating and preventing sexually transmitted infections as a possible tool in HIV prevention remains an important one," says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "We will continue to work to understand how HSV-2 and other sexually transmitted infections increase the risk of HIV infection, and to develop new interventions that might play a role in HIV prevention."

HSV-2, one of the most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide, is especially prevalent in areas with high rates of HIV infection. Most people who are infected with HSV-2 do not know they have the virus because symptoms can be mild or nonexistent. Some infected individuals have recurring sores and breaks in the skin of the genital region, which can make it easier for these individuals to acquire HIV...click here to continue reading

Source: http://articles.lapox.com/