Herpes Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Herpes, including details on herpes simplex virus (hsv), genital, oral, symptoms, treatment.

Effect of herpes simplex suppression on incidence of HIV among women in Tanzania.

Watson-Jones D, Weiss HA, Rusizoka M, Changalucha J, Baisley K, Mugeye K, Tanton C, Ross D, Everett D, Clayton T, Balira R, Knight L, Hambleton I, Le Goff J, Belec L, Hayes R, ,

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London. deborah.watson-jones@lshtm.ac.uk

BACKGROUND: Infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is associated with an increased risk of acquiring infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This study tested the hypothesis that HSV-2 suppressive therapy reduces the risk of HIV acquisition. METHODS: Female workers at recreational facilities in northwestern Tanzania who were 16 to 35 years of age were interviewed and underwent serologic testing for HIV and HSV-2. We enrolled female workers who were HIV-seronegative and HSV-2-seropositive in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of suppressive treatment with acyclovir (400 mg twice daily). Participants attended mobile clinics every 3 months for a follow-up period of 12 to 30 months, depending on enrollment date. The primary outcome was the incidence of infection with HIV. We used a modified intention-to-treat analysis; data for participants who became pregnant were censored. Adherence to treatment was estimated by a tablet count at each visit. RESULTS: A total of 821 participants were randomly assigned to receive acyclovir (400 participants) or placebo (421 participants); 679 (83%) completed follow-up. Mean follow-up for the acyclovir and placebo groups was 1.52 and 1.62 years, respectively. The incidence of HIV infection was 4.27 per 100 person-years (27 participants in the acyclovir group and 28 in the placebo group), and there was no overall effect of acyclovir on the incidence of HIV (rate ratio for the acyclovir group, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.64 to 1.83). The estimated median adherence was 90%. Genital HSV was detected in a similar proportion of participants in the two study groups at 6, 12, and 24 months. No serious adverse events were attributable to treatment with acyclovir. CONCLUSIONS: These data show no evidence that acyclovir (400 mg twice daily) as HSV suppressive therapy decreases the incidence of infection with HIV. (Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN35385041 [controlled-trials.com].).

Published 11 April 2008 in N Engl J Med, 358(15): 1560-71.
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Articles on Herpes published 28 March 2008:

Maternal exposure to herpes simplex virus and risk of psychosis among adult offspring.   Biol Psychiatry, 63(8): 809-15.

BACKGROUND: Viral exposure during gestation is thought to be a risk factor for schizophrenia. Previous studies have indicated that prenatal exposure to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) may be a risk for the subsequent development of schizophrenia in some populations. In this investigation, we tested a large and diverse population to assess the risk of psychoses among offspring of mothers with serological evidence of HSV-2 infection. METHODS: We conducted a nested case-control study of 200 ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Herpes published 24 March 2008:

PILRalpha is a herpes simplex virus-1 entry coreceptor that associates with glycoprotein B.   Cell, 132(6): 935-44.

Glycoprotein B (gB) is one of the essential components for infection by herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1). Although several cellular receptors that associate with glycoprotein D (gD), such as herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) and Nectin-1, have been identified, specific molecules that mediate HSV-1 infection by associating with gB have not been elucidated. Here, we found that paired immunoglobulin-like type 2 receptor (PILR) alpha associates with gB, and cells transduced with PILRalpha become ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Herpes published 17 March 2008:

Characterization of mre11 loss following HSV-1 infection.   Virology, 373(1): 124-36.

Herpes simplex virus induces the activation of the cellular DNA double strand break response pathway dependent upon initiation of viral DNA replication. The MRN complex, consisting of Mre11, Rad50 and Nbs1, is an essential component of the DNA double strand break response and other reports have documented its presence at sites of viral DNA replication, interaction with ICP8 and its contribution to efficient viral DNA replication. During our characterization of the DSB response following ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

The herpes simplex virus receptor nectin-1 is down-regulated after trans-interaction with glycoprotein D.   Virology, 373(1): 98-111.

During herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry, membrane fusion occurs either on the cell surface or after virus endocytosis. In both cases, binding of glycoprotein D (gD) to a receptor such as nectin-1 or HVEM is required. In this study, we co-cultured cells expressing gD with nectin-1 expressing cells to investigate the effects of gD on nectin-1 at cell contacts. After overnight co-cultures with gD expressing cells, there was a down-regulation of nectin-1 in B78H1-C10, SY5Y, A431 and HeLa cells, ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Articles on Herpes published 12 March 2008:

Selective ablation of virion host shutoff protein RNase activity attenuates herpes simplex virus 2 in mice.   J Virol, 82(7): 3642-53.

The virion host shutoff (vhs) protein of herpes simplex virus (HSV) has endoribonuclease activity and rapidly reduces protein synthesis in infected cells through mRNA degradation. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 vhs mutants are highly attenuated in vivo, but replication and virulence are largely restored to HSV-2 vhs mutants in the absence of a type I interferon (IFN) response. The role of vhs in pathogenesis and the hindrance of the type I IFN response have classically been examined ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Cellular proteasome activity facilitates herpes simplex virus entry at a postpenetration step.   J Virol, 82(7): 3381-90.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry into cells is a multistep process that engages the host cell machinery. The proteasome is a large, ATP-dependent, multisubunit protease that plays a critical role in the maintenance of cell homeostasis. A battery of assays were used to demonstrate that proteasome inhibitors blocked an early step in HSV entry that occurred after capsid penetration into the cytosol but prior to capsid arrival at the nuclear periphery. Proteasome-dependent viral entry was not ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Proteolytic cleavage of VP1-2 is required for release of herpes simplex virus 1 DNA into the nucleus.   J Virol, 82(7): 3311-9.

In this report we propose a model in which after the herpes simplex virus (HSV) capsid docks at the nuclear pore, the tegument protein attached to the capsid must be cleaved by a serine or a cysteine protease in order for the DNA to be released into the nucleus. In support of the model are the following results. (i) Exposure of cells at the time of or before infection to l-(tosylamido-2-phenyl) ethyl chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), a serine-cysteine protease inhibitor, prevents the release of viral ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Stabilized binding of TBP to the TATA box of herpes simplex virus type 1 early (tk) and late (gC) promoters by TFIIA and ICP4.   J Virol, 82(7): 3546-54.

We have recently shown that ICP4 has a differential requirement for the general transcription factor TFIIA in vitro (S. Zabierowski and N. DeLuca, J. Virol. 78:6162-6170, 2004). TFIIA was dispensable for ICP4 activation of a late promoter (gC) but was required for the efficient activation of an early promoter (tk). An intact INR element was required for proficient ICP4 activation of the late promoter in the absence of TFIIA. Because TFIIA is known to stabilize the binding of both TATA binding ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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