AEGiS-15IAC: Does HIV positive status influence the prevalence of genital herpes?

15th International AIDS Conference


Bangkok, Thailand - July 11-16, 2004

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Does HIV positive status influence the prevalence of genital herpes?

Int Conf AIDS 2004 Jul 11-16; 15:(abstract no. C10418)

Habib AR, Allan PS
Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital, Coventry, United Kingdom

Introduction: It is well recognised that the prevalence of STIs is high among HIV positive individuals; we wanted to correlate HIV antibody status with the prevalence of Herpes simplex infection (HSV) among black Africans on their first presentation. Methods and Design: Descriptive analysis using GUM clinic database and case notes review for all new African attendees (rebooked were excluded) in Coventry from January 2002 to December 2002 in whom the HIV test was performed. We analysed the prevalence of HSV infection among them and compared it with either having positive or negative HIV antibody test result.

RESULTS: 277 African patients attended in the specified period, 71.1% (197/277) had the HIV test and 34.0% (67/197) tested positive for HIV. Median ages for those who tested positive and negative for HIV were 33 and 27 years respectively. Clinical HSV infection was found at presentation in 15.1% (8/53) of patients who tested positive for HIV versus 3.3% (6/184) in the group who tested negative (p=0.01). Median viral load and CD4 cell counts at presentation were 4.85 log10 copies/mls and 283 cells respectively. All patients who tested positive for HIV were also sero-positive for HSV, 86.0% (49/57) for both HSV types 1&2, 10.5% (6/57) for HSV 1 only and 3.5% (2/57) for HSV 2 only. HSV sero-prevalence was not influenced with the initial CD4 counts at presentation. Conclusion The prevalence of clinical HSV infection at presentation among black Africans who tested HIV positive was significantly higher than those who tested negative. All patients who tested HIV positive were also sero-positive for HSV with no influence from their presenting CD4 cell counts.

Keywords: AEGIS, Herpes Genitalis, Prevalence, HIV Seropositivity, Herpesvirus 2, Human, CD4 Lymphocyte Count, Herpes Simplex, Herpesvirus 1, Human, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Viral Load, Humans, epidemiology

040711
C10418

Copyright © 2004 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.