Important note: Information in this article was accurate in June 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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HIV/AIDS Transmission: HIV RNA in semen is lower in persons with HIV-2 compared with HIV-1 infection
AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, June 12, 2006
Staff Medical Writers
“HIV-2 infection, in comparison with HIV-1, is characterized by lower plasma viral loads, slower CD4 cell count decline, decreased AIDS-related mortality, and lower rates of mother-to-child and sexual transmission.
“To gain further insight into why HIV-1 is more readily transmitted as compared with HIV-2, we analyzed semen and plasma HIV RNA levels in HIV-1 and HIV-2-positive men from Senegal,” researchers in the United States report.
According to G.S. Gottlieb and colleagues at the University of Washington, School of Medicine, “Twenty-two HIV-1 and 10 HIV-2-infected subjects from the University of Dakar donated semen and blood samples for this analysis. HIV-1 and HIV-2 viral loads in semen and plasma were quantified using type-specific polymerase chain reaction assays.
“The mean age of the subjects was 37 and 40 years; mean CD4 cell count was 222 and 276 cells/mcL and the mean plasma viral load was 4.7 and 3.0 log10 copies/ml for HIV-1 and HIV-2, respectively (p=0.002).”
“HIV RNA was detected in semen in 21 of 22 (95%) of HIV-1 and seven of 10 (70%) of HIV-2-infected subjects; p=0.07).
“However,” scientists wrote, “the levels of HIV RNA present in semen were markedly different between those with HIV-1 and HIV-2, with a mean of 4.4 log10 copies/mL among those with HIV-1 and a mean of 2.6 log10 copies/mL among those with HIV-2 (p<0.001).”
Gottlieb continued, “In multivariate analysis, plasma viral load and HIV type, but not CD4 cell count, were independently predictive of semen viral load (p=0.03, 0.05, 0.48, respectively).”
“These data suggest that differences in semen viral load between HIV-1 and HIV-2 may be in part responsible for the markedly different transmission rates of these two viruses.
“In addition,” concluded the authors, “risk of male genital tract shedding strongly correlates with plasma viral loads. Interventions that decrease viral load may help decrease transmission of both HIV-1 and HIV-2.”
Gottlieb and colleagues published their study in AIDS (Lower levels of HIV RNA in semen in HIV-2 compared with HIV-1 infection: implications for differences in transmission. AIDS. 2006 Apr 4;20(6):895-900).
For additional information, contact G.S. Gottlieb, University of Washington, School of Medicine, Dept. Med, Division Allergy & Infectious Disease, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Publisher contact information for the journal AIDS is: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 530 Walnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106-3621, USA.
Keywords: Seattle, Washington, United States, HIV-1, HIV-2, Semen, Viral Load, Viral Transmission.
This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.
Reference
Gottlieb GS, Hawes SE, Agne HD, et al., “Lower levels of HIV RNA in semen in HIV-2 compared with HIV-1 infection: implications for differences in transmission”, AIDS. 2006 Apr 4;20(6):895-900.
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