Anti-Herpetic Treatment of Genital Ulcer : Effect on HIV & Herpes Shedding (ANRS 1212)

Summary

Herpes virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection - as a cofactor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission - can be targeted by anti-herpetic specific drugs, either as a continuous prophylactic treatment during its asymptomatic shedding phase, or as an episodic treatment during clinically-apparent genital ulcerations. The main objective of this trial will be to demonstrate that acyclovir treatment given during clinical episodes (primary infection or recurrences) can reduce genital shedding of HIV, thereby contributing to a reduction of HIV infectiousness of dually infected individuals (HIV+/HSV+).

Timeline

Start

2003-05

Primary completion

—

Completion

2005-10

Outcome

Missed primary endpoint

paper CONCLUSION: Episodic therapy for herpes reduced the quantity of cervicovaginal HSV-2 DNA and slightly improved ulcer healing, but it did not decrease genital and plasma HIV-1 RNA loads. PMID 19530940 ↗

Publications

• Background Legoff J, Bouhlal H, Gresenguet G, Weiss H, Khonde N, Hocini H, Desire N, Si-Mohamed A, de Dieu Longo J, Chemin C, Frost E, Pepin J, Malkin JE, Mayaud P, Belec L. Real-time PCR quantification of genital shedding of herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in women coinfected with HSV and HIV. J Clin Microbiol. 2006 Feb;44(2):423-32. doi: 10.1128/JCM.44.2.423-432.2006.
• Background LeGoff J, Mayaud P, Gresenguet G, Weiss HA, Nzambi K, Frost E, Pepin J, Belec L; ANRS 12-12 Study Group. Performance of HerpeSelect and Kalon assays in detection of antibodies to herpes simplex virus type 2. J Clin Microbiol. 2008 Jun;46(6):1914-8. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02332-07. Epub 2008 Apr 2.
• Mayaud P, Legoff J, Weiss HA, Gresenguet G, Nzambi K, Bouhlal H, Frost E, Pepin J, Malkin JE, Hayes RJ, Mabey DC, Belec L; ANRS 1212 Study Group. Impact of acyclovir on genital and plasma HIV-1 RNA, genital herpes simplex virus type 2 DNA, and ulcer healing among HIV-1-infected African women with herpes ulcers: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. J Infect Dis. 2009 Jul 15;200(2):216-26. doi: 10.1086/599991.

Drugs

Indications