Vitamin A supplementation and genital shedding of herpes simplex virus among HIV-1-infected women: a randomized clinical trial

J Infect Dis. 2004 Apr 15;189(8):1466-71. doi: 10.1086/383049. Epub 2004 Apr 2.

Abstract

Cross-sectional analyses have associated vitamin A deficiency with genital shedding of herpes simplex virus (HSV) among human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected women. A randomized clinical trial of vitamin A supplementation given daily for 6 weeks was conducted among 376 women in Mombasa, Kenya, who were coinfected with HSV-2 and HIV-1. At follow-up, there was no significant difference in the detection of genital HSV DNA between women receiving vitamin A supplementation and women receiving placebo (40% vs. 44%, respectively; P = .5) Among women shedding HSV, there was no significant difference in the mean HSV DNA quantity between the group that received vitamin A supplementation and the group that received placebo (4.51 vs. 4.67 log10 copies/swab; P = .6). HSV shedding was associated with significantly higher vaginal and cervical HIV-1 shedding, even after controlling for the plasma HIV-1 load and the CD4 count. Vitamin A supplementation is unlikely to decrease HSV shedding and infectivity.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • DNA, Viral / chemistry
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • Herpes Genitalis / immunology
  • Herpes Genitalis / virology*
  • Herpesvirus 2, Human / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Virus Shedding / drug effects
  • Vitamin A / administration & dosage*

Substances

  • DNA, Viral
  • Vitamin A