Persistence of human immunodeficiency virus in semen after adding indinavir to combination antiretroviral therapy

Clin Infect Dis. 1999 Jun;28(6):1252-9. doi: 10.1086/514775.

Abstract

Changes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 concentration and protease genotype were evaluated in semen specimens from 22 HIV-positive men before and 6 months after the addition of indinavir to dual nucleoside therapy. Seminal HIV was detected by polymerase chain reaction analysis for DNA or RNA for 59% of men before combination treatment and persisted at 6 months for 31% of the men who initially had seminal HIV detected (P = .026). The maximum levels of cell-free RNA, cell-associated RNA, and proviral DNA in semen before treatment and at 6 months were 400,000 and 10,000 copies/mL, 70,000 and 27,000 copies/mL, and 80,000 and 3,000 copies/mL, respectively. Three of the four men with persistent seminal DNA had plasma viral loads of > 10,000 copies/mL before treatment. One patient who became intolerant to indinavir had seminal HIV RNA detected by PCR analysis after 6 months. Although none of the cultures of semen specimens from the four men with PCR analysis-detectable seminal DNA after 6 months yielded HIV, indinavir resistance mutations were identified in a seminal leukocyte DNA specimen from one patient, and a second patient whose therapy was switched to saquinavir had different protease inhibitor resistance mutations in seminal and blood leukocyte DNA specimens. HIV-1 protease inhibitor resistance mutants may emerge in the semen of patients receiving combination therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-HIV Agents / administration & dosage*
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • DNA, Viral / analysis
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • HIV Protease / genetics
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / administration & dosage*
  • HIV-1 / drug effects*
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Indinavir / administration & dosage*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • RNA, Viral / analysis
  • Semen / virology*

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • DNA, Viral
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors
  • RNA, Viral
  • Indinavir
  • HIV Protease