Open AccessLower levels of HIV RNA in semen in HIV-2 compared with HIV-1 infection: implications for differences in transmission
Author(s) -
Geoffrey S. Gottlieb,
Stephen E. Hawes,
Habibatou Diallo Agne,
Joshua Stern,
Cathy W. Critchlow,
Nancy B. Kiviat,
Papa Salif Sow
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
aids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.195
H-Index - 216
eISSN - 1473-5571
pISSN - 0269-9370
DOI - 10.1097/01.aids.0000218554.59531.80
Subject(s) - semen , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virology , lentivirus , transmission (telecommunications) , sida , biology , sexual transmission , medicine , viral disease , immunology , genetics , microbicide , electrical engineering , engineering
HIV-2 infection, in comparison with HIV-1, is characterized by lower plasma viral loads, slower CD4 cell count decline, decreased AIDS-related mortality, and lower rates of mother-to-child and sexual transmission. To gain further insight into why HIV-1 is more readily transmitted as compared with HIV-2, we analyzed semen and plasma HIV RNA levels in HIV-1 and HIV-2-positive men from Senegal.