Frequency of symptomatic and asymptomatic herpes simplex virus type 2 reactivations among human immunodeficiency virus-infected men

J Infect Dis. 1998 Dec;178(6):1616-22. doi: 10.1086/314486.

Abstract

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection is common in persons coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In a prospective study, daily viral cultures of the mouth, genitals, and rectum were collected from 68 HIV-positive and 13 HIV-negative men who have sex with men. Subjects completed a median of 57 days of follow-up. Anogenital HSV-2 cultures were positive on 405 (9.7%) of 4167 days for HIV-positive men and on 24 (3.1%) of 766 days for HIV-negative men. Most reactivations were perirectal and subclinical. Risk factors for increased HSV-2 shedding among HIV-positive men were low CD4 cell count (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-5.4) and antibodies to both HSV-1 and HSV-2 versus HSV-2 only (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval, 1.0-3.7). Three isolates obtained from 3 separate subjects were resistant to acyclovir. Thus, subclinical HSV-2 reactivation is an important opportunistic infection in persons with HIV infection. Further studies are necessaryto determine the impact of subclinical HSV-2 reactivation on the natural history of HIV infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acyclovir / therapeutic use
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Genitalia, Male / virology
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / immunology
  • HIV Seronegativity / immunology
  • Herpes Genitalis / complications*
  • Herpes Genitalis / epidemiology*
  • Herpes Genitalis / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / growth & development*
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / immunology
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / isolation & purification
  • Homosexuality, Male
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mouth / virology
  • Odds Ratio
  • Rectum / virology
  • Recurrence
  • Risk Factors
  • Virus Activation*
  • Virus Shedding*

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Acyclovir