Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV-2) Suppression to Prevent HIV Transmission

Summary

The University of Washington has received funding to conduct a proof-of-concept trial to assess the impact of suppression of genital herpes on HIV infectiousness. This study (the Partners in Prevention Study) will enroll HIV discordant heterosexual couples in which the HIV-infected partner is co-infected with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) to test the efficacy of twice daily (bid) acyclovir (400 mg) given to the HIV-infected partner to prevent transmission to his/her HIV negative partner(s). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled proof-of-concept trial will provide evidence for the efficacy of HSV-2 suppression with daily acyclovir on HIV transmission among HIV-discordant couples among whom the HIV-positive partner is also HSV-2 seropositive with CD4 \>250. The researchers hypothesis is that, by decreasing the frequency and amount of genital HIV shedding, standard doses of daily acyclovir 400 mg bid will reduce the rate of HIV transmission by 50% in HIV-discordant couples among whom the HIV-infected partner is HSV-2 positive. Under the study protocol version 4.1.1, 3000 HIV-discordant heterosexual couples in which the HIV-positive partner is HSV-2 positive and has a CD4 count \>250 will be recruited; participants will be followed for up to 2 years. A 4% per year HIV incidence in the placebo arm is assumed. The first study site began enrolling participants on 17 November 2005. As of September 2006, 14 sites in Eastern and Southern Africa had participated in recruiting the 2300 HIV-discordant couples enrolled to date.

Timeline

Start

2004-11

Primary completion

2009-11

Completion

2010-03

Publications

• Mackelprang RD, Bamshad MJ, Chong JX, Hou X, Buckingham KJ, Shively K, deBruyn G, Mugo NR, Mullins JI, McElrath MJ, Baeten JM, Celum C, Emond MJ, Lingappa JR; Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study and the Partners PrEP Study Teams. Whole genome sequencing of extreme phenotypes identifies variants in CD101 and UBE2V1 associated with increased risk of sexually acquired HIV-1. PLoS Pathog. 2017 Nov 6;13(11):e1006703. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006703. eCollection 2017 Nov.
• de Bruyn G, Magaret A, Baeten JM, Lingappa JR, Ndase P, Celum C, Wald A; Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Team. Mortality in members of HIV-1 serodiscordant couples in Africa and implications for antiretroviral therapy initiation: results of analyses from a multicenter randomized trial. BMC Infect Dis. 2012 Oct 30;12:277. doi: 10.1186/1471-2334-12-277.
• Lingappa JR, Thomas KK, Hughes JP, Baeten JM, Wald A, Farquhar C, de Bruyn G, Fife KH, Campbell MS, Kapiga S, Mullins JI, Celum C; Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Team. Partner characteristics predicting HIV-1 set point in sexually acquired HIV-1 among African seroconverters. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2013 Jan;29(1):164-71. doi: 10.1089/AID.2012.0206.
• Cohen CR, Lingappa JR, Baeten JM, Ngayo MO, Spiegel CA, Hong T, Donnell D, Celum C, Kapiga S, Delany S, Bukusi EA. Bacterial vaginosis associated with increased risk of female-to-male HIV-1 transmission: a prospective cohort analysis among African couples. PLoS Med. 2012;9(6):e1001251. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001251. Epub 2012 Jun 26.
• Mujugira A, Magaret AS, Baeten JM, Celum C, Lingappa J. Risk Factors for HSV-2 Infection among Sexual Partners of HSV-2/HIV-1 Co-Infected Persons. BMC Res Notes. 2011 Mar 15;4:64. doi: 10.1186/1756-0500-4-64.
• Campbell MS, Mullins JI, Hughes JP, Celum C, Wong KG, Raugi DN, Sorensen S, Stoddard JN, Zhao H, Deng W, Kahle E, Panteleeff D, Baeten JM, McCutchan FE, Albert J, Leitner T, Wald A, Corey L, Lingappa JR; Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Team. Viral linkage in HIV-1 seroconverters and their partners in an HIV-1 prevention clinical trial. PLoS One. 2011 Mar 2;6(3):e16986. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0016986.
• Lingappa JR, Baeten JM, Wald A, Hughes JP, Thomas KK, Mujugira A, Mugo N, Bukusi EA, Cohen CR, Katabira E, Ronald A, Kiarie J, Farquhar C, Stewart GJ, Makhema J, Essex M, Were E, Fife KH, de Bruyn G, Gray GE, McIntyre JA, Manongi R, Kapiga S, Coetzee D, Allen S, Inambao M, Kayitenkore K, Karita E, Kanweka W, Delany S, Rees H, Vwalika B, Magaret AS, Wang RS, Kidoguchi L, Barnes L, Ridzon R, Corey L, Celum C; Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Team. Daily acyclovir for HIV-1 disease progression in people dually infected with HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus type 2: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 2010 Mar 6;375(9717):824-33. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)62038-9. Epub 2010 Feb 12.
• Celum C, Wald A, Lingappa JR, Magaret AS, Wang RS, Mugo N, Mujugira A, Baeten JM, Mullins JI, Hughes JP, Bukusi EA, Cohen CR, Katabira E, Ronald A, Kiarie J, Farquhar C, Stewart GJ, Makhema J, Essex M, Were E, Fife KH, de Bruyn G, Gray GE, McIntyre JA, Manongi R, Kapiga S, Coetzee D, Allen S, Inambao M, Kayitenkore K, Karita E, Kanweka W, Delany S, Rees H, Vwalika B, Stevens W, Campbell MS, Thomas KK, Coombs RW, Morrow R, Whittington WL, McElrath MJ, Barnes L, Ridzon R, Corey L; Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Team. Acyclovir and transmission of HIV-1 from persons infected with HIV-1 and HSV-2. N Engl J Med. 2010 Feb 4;362(5):427-39. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0904849. Epub 2010 Jan 20.
• Baeten JM, Donnell D, Kapiga SH, Ronald A, John-Stewart G, Inambao M, Manongi R, Vwalika B, Celum C; Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study Team. Male circumcision and risk of male-to-female HIV-1 transmission: a multinational prospective study in African HIV-1-serodiscordant couples. AIDS. 2010 Mar 13;24(5):737-44. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e32833616e0.
• Guthrie BL, Kiarie JN, Morrison S, John-Stewart GC, Kinuthia J, Whittington WL, Farquhar C. Sexually transmitted infections among HIV-1-discordant couples. PLoS One. 2009 Dec 14;4(12):e8276. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0008276.
• Lingappa JR, Kahle E, Mugo N, Mujugira A, Magaret A, Baeten J, Bukusi EA, Cohen CR, Katabira E, Ronald A, Kiarie J, Farquhar C, Stewart GJ, Makhema J, Essex M, Were E, Fife K, Debruyn G, Gray G, McIntyre J, Manongi R, Kapiga S, Coetzee D, Allen S, Inambao M, Kayitenkore K, Karita E, Kanweka W, Delany S, Rees H, Vwalika B, Coombs RW, Morrow R, Whittington W, Corey L, Wald A, Celum C; Partners HSV-2/HIV-1 Transmission Study Team. Characteristics of HIV-1 discordant couples enrolled in a trial of HSV-2 suppression to reduce HIV-1 transmission: the partners study. PLoS One. 2009;4(4):e5272. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005272. Epub 2009 Apr 30.

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