Author/Authors :
Mirzapour, Pegah Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS - Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Mohraz, Minoo Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS - Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Moayedi-Nia, Saeedeh Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS - Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Aghakhani, Arezoo Department of Clinical Research - Pasteur Institute of Iran - Tehran, Iran , Ramezani, Amitis Department of Clinical Research - Pasteur Institute of Iran - Tehran, Iran , Bavand, Anahita Department of Clinical Research - Pasteur Institute of Iran - Tehran, Iran , Banifazl, Mohammad Iranian Society for Support of Patients with Infectious Disease - Tehran, Iran , Janbakhsh, Alireza Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences - Kermanshah, Iran , Mamishi, Setareh Pediatric Infectious Disease Research Center - Tehran University of Medical Sciences - Tehran, Iran , Karami, Afsaneh Zanjan University of Medical Sciences - Zanjan, Iran
Abstract :
Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a common infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
patients and may accelerate HIV progression by rising HIV viral load and decreasing CD4 count. However, the
available data regarding the influence of HSV-2 seropositivity on HIV progression in HIV individuals are
inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to determine HSV-2 seroprevalence in naïve HIV patients and normal controls
and also investigate the relation of HIV viral load and CD4 count with HSV-2 seropositivity. Subsequently, we
investigated the association of HSV-2 serostatus with changing in CD4 count and HIV viral load in our subjects,
after one year follow-up. Methods: In this study, 116 naïve HIV patients and 85 healthy controls from Tehran, Iran
were enrolled. HSV-2 IgG antibody was detected by ELISA. CD4 count was determined by flowcytometry, and
serum HIV RNA copy numbers were determined using real-time PCR. Results: The prevalence of HSV-2 IgG was
18.1% in naïve HIV patients and 0% in the control group (P = 0.000). HSV-2 seroconversion was observed in
2.43% of HIV patients after one year. There was no significant difference regarding HSV-2 serostatus with CD4
count and HIV RNA viral load in our study cohort at baseline and after one year. Conclusion: Our results
revealed that the prevalence and incidence of HSV-2 infection are low in our HIV cases, and it is negligible in the
control group. However, it seems that HIV/HSV2 co-infection has no role on HIV infection acceleration.
Keywords :
Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) , CD4 lymphocyte count , Viral load , Serology , Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
