Herpes drug may slow down HIV progression

Posted: February 16th, 2010 | By Claire Keeton | Posted in sexually transmitted infections | Tagged as , , ,
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Herpes simplex virus

Herpes simplex virus


A cheap non-toxic drug commonly used to treat herpes may delay the progression of HIV-1, the most common and aggressive type of HIV, a new study in Lancet has found.

Daily treatment with aciclovir for people with both HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) lowered their risk of progression by 16%.

People with HIV often have genital herpes (HSV2).

3381 heterosexual people who were infected with both HSV2 and HIV-1 were enrolled in the trial at 14 sites in Africa.

The volunteers were “randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to aciclovir 400 mg orally twice daily or placebo, and were followed up for up to 24 months”.

“Aciclovir reduced risk of HIV-1 disease progression by 16%,” the researchers found, recommending further consideration of the “role of suppression of herpes simplex virus type 2 in reduction of HIV-1 disease progression before initiation of antiretroviral therapy”.

The treatment did not reduce the risk of HIV transmission.

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  • About

    Claire Keeton is the senior HIV reporter at the Sunday Times newspaper. She wants to help stop the virus and spread the news by looking at campaigns and conferences, culture and controversy as well as the latest medical findings.