A drug that suppresses herpes simplex-2 (HSV-2) also curtails the progression of HIV, a researcher reported here. In a randomized controlled trial in Uganda, acyclovir (Zovirax), taken twice a day, increased the time before co-infected participants needed HIV treatment or suffered an AIDS-defining illness, according to Steven Reynolds, MD, of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in Bethesda, Md. In places where access to antiretroviral drugs is limited, the approach may ease the pressure on treatment resources, Reynolds told a session at the 2011 meeting of the International AIDS Society here. He added that more research is needed to confirm the findings, but acyclovir treatment “may be warranted” in people with both HIV and HSV-2.
