ACTU Study for Herpes, Needs Your Assistance

ACTU Study for Herpes, Needs Your Assistance

Seattle Treatment Education Project: STEP Perspective - Volume 4, Number 3 - October 1992
Tim Schacker, M.D.

The University of Washington is seeking HIV-positive individuals and HIV-negative gay men to participate in a study about the relationship of herpes viruses to HIV. This ongoing study is attempting to answer questions about how herpes viruses influence the course of HIV infection. The herpes viruses are cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), human herpes virus 6 (HHV6), and herpes simplex virus types I and II which can cause painful, recurrent oral, genital, and rectal ulcerations. In the test tube there is evidence to suggest that HIV replicates faster when these herpes viruses have been put into the culture, however this very experimental and there is no evidence yet to show this applies to humans.

We are looking for anyone who is HIV-positive and has a history of oral, anal, or genital herpes. People can have been infected with the virus and not know it, they could have had a "silent" infection. In fact, over 90 percent of gay men in this country have been exposed to herpes simplex virus type I or II, the cause of oral, anal, and genital herpes. We can easily determine this with a simple blood test. We are also looking for HIV-negative gay men to serve as a "control group." We want to compare them to the HIV-positive group, to see what difference HIV makes in the expression of these viruses.

The protocol is divided into two parts. The HIV-negative gay men would only participate in the first part. The HIV-positive people would complete both parts. Part one consists of daily home cultures for two months. Arrangements will be made to transport these cultures if the participant does not live near a convenient drop-off point. People who complete this part of the protocol will receive up to $150.00. Part two consists of monthly visits for nine months. These clinic visits will be to answer a few brief questions and have a blood draw. The blood will be to look for evidence of CMV, EBV, HHV6, and to stage HIV infection with T-cell subsets, HIV cultures and p24 antigen. People who complete the second part of the protocol will receive an additional $150.00.

People who participate in the study will receive free monthly lab draws that will be made available to their private health care provider. The lab tests include T-cell subsets, complete blood counts, CMV cultures, and special HIV cultures. HIV-positive people who complete the nine month protocol and the daily home cultures will receive up to $300.00. HIV-negative gay men who complete the daily home cultures will receive $150.00.

For further information, contact Ardeth Dunne or Dr. Tim Schacker at the AIDS Clinical Trials Unit of the University of Washington at 223-3184.

Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeard in 1992. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

Copyright © 1992 - Seattle Treatment Education Project (STEP) - All rights reserved. Noncommercial reproduction is encouraged. STEP is published four times a year by the Seattle Treatment Education Project, 127 Broadway East, 3rd Floor, Seattle, WA 98102. Email: step100@aol.com STEP web page

This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
©1992. AEGIS.