Examining the Ability of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV2) Therapy to Reduce HIV Target Cell Numbers in the Cervix
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2011-05-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2), the most common cause of genital herpes, increases a
woman's risk of HIV acquisition from 3-6 fold, perhaps because HSV2-infected women have
increased numbers of HIV "target cells" (CD4 T cells and dendritic cells) in the cervical
mucosa. However, recent clinical trials showed no impact of HSV2 suppression on HIV
acquisition rates. The reasons for this negative result are unclear. The investigators
propose to examine the effect of valacyclovir (a widely used herpes medication) treatment on
cervical immunology and HIV target cells in the cervix. The study will take the form of a
randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Primary endpoints will be (1)
the number of CD4 T cells on a cervical cytobrush and (2) the number of immature dendritic
cells per cervical cytobrush.