Vienna- A highly anticipated presentation here at the 18th International AIDS Conference proved to be doubly sweet. As Science reported yesterday, researchers announced that South African women who received a vaginal gel containing the anti-HIV drug tenofovir had a chance to 39% less to be infected by the virus than those who received placebo. But the researchers also report that the microbicide gel had a more powerful effect against herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2).
"It is very interesting and clearly must be followed," said Zeda Rosenberg, who heads the International Partnership for Microbicides, a nonprofit based in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Quarraisha and Salim Abdool Karim, husband and wife team who led the study, called CAPRISA 004, presented the key data during a session of the afternoon today. As explained Salim, nearly half of women did not have HSV-2 at baseline. of this group, 58 of 224 women in the placebo arm of the study were infected with HSV-2 over to 29 of 202 who received the gel. the difference, 51% was statistically significant, and the effect of the microbicide on the HIV infection was independent HSV-2 conclusion noted Salim Abdool Karim.
the finding is particularly encouraging because HSV-2 increases the risk of being infected with HIV-1 a person. "once confirmed and replicated, tenofovir gel has the potential to alter the course of the HIV epidemic, "said Salim Abdool Karim.
As he explains, a precursor compound tenofovir is actually a drug marketed to treat HSV-2 infection. But some AIDS researchers knew the connection, and many were stunned that tenofovir had a powerful impact on the HSV-2.
"It goes to show that sometimes you learn unexpected things scientific projects well designed," said Robert Grant of the University of California, San Francisco, who studies a related prevention strategy that uses an anti -HIV pill to protect uninfected people. "It is a fine example of how prevention interventions can in synergy with each other."
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