|
Home | Medical-Newswire.Com:
|
 download
Private Sexual Health Testing Service
As the most common strain of the HIV-1 that causes the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), HIV-1is the form of the virus that most people refer to when they say HIV.
According to co-senior author and"associate professor of medicine and infectious diseases at CWRU School of Medicine, Benigno Rodriguez, "These results demonstrated that the mechanism by which valacyclovir act against HIV is not only through the presence of HSV-2."
In addition to suggesting that valacyclovir is more effective for a larger population of HIV patients than was previously thought, it steers researchers in a new direction for developing HIV medications.
Professor Rodriguez also indicated that these results expose crucial clues regarding how the drug reduces HIV-1 levels. This news is extremely welcome in a time when certain forms of HIV-1 have become resistant to current medications.
Valacyclovir Decreases Viral Load by Blocking the Replication of HIV-1.
The findings indicate that once valacyclovir activates inside cells infected with HIV it decreases viral load by stopping the replication of the virus.
There is a known correlation between HIV-1 and HIV-2 in that herpes triggers periodic outbreaks of genital lesions. This puts individuals infected with herpes at a higher risk of contracting HIV while engaging in intimate contact. Most doctors recommend testing for these sexually transmitted infections if this is a concern.
Herpes outbreaks are currently treated with acyclovir or its newer form, valacyclovir, which is given less frequently.
Early research concerning acyclovir had suggested that the drug hindered HIV-1 reproduction, even when HIV-2 was not present. This prompted the new trials of valacyclovir in patients infected with HIV.
The study reported the results of two separate trials completed between 2009 and 2012; in the US and Peru. In total, 18 patients infected with HIV-1 who had tested negatively for HIV-2 were enrolled. None were taking antiretroviral, and all have low CD4 cell counts.
After being randomly assigned to two groups, one group received treatment with the active drug, while the other group received a placebo. Conducted as a double-blind experiment, neither the clinicians who provided the treatments or the patients were aware of who was receiving the active drug or the placebo.
For 12 weeks, patients took either the active drug or the placebo twice daily. The trial was a crossover trial meaning that after a 2-week period without medication, the groups switched with the active drug replacing the placebo and vice versa. This was followed by an additional 12 weeks of taking the active drug or placebo twice daily.
HIV Viral Loads Decreased With Valacyclovir, While Increasing With the Placebo.
Results found that when the patients were treated with valacyclovir, their HIV viral loads decreased, while they increased when they were receiving the placebo.
Professor at CRWU and co-senior author, Michael M. Lederman stated,"Our most-recent clinical study demonstrates that acyclovir block's HIV replication directly. The anti-HIV activity of valacyclovir does not depend on blocking the inflammation caused by herpes simplex virus 2."
The research team at CRWU believes that the study provides beneficial insight and clues for the development of new anti-HIV medications by using agents based on valacyclovir's metabolic structure.
Professor Lederman said, "The drug might be an agent that can be used safely in some people with HIV infection who have a form of HIV that is highly resistant to other antiretroviral drugs. Valacyclovir might well augment the cocktail of medications they take for reducing HIV replication. Valacyclovir is a well-tolerated drug, and it doesn't have a lot of side effects."
The study was funded by several institutes and programs with the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
At the same time, Medical News Today received information on a study presented at a conference that demonstrated the antiretroviral, Truvada, decreases the risk of HIV infection by 86%. Researchers discovered that daily treatment with Truvada was extremely effective at blocking HIV infection in men who have sex with men.
About Rapid Screening Center
Rapid Screenings Center offers Sexual Health testing for HIV, Herpes, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and more. RSC has over 4000 testing locations nation wide. Results typically take 2 or 3 business days. RSC has a team of medical professionals to answer questions about testing.
Rapid Screening Center
Jarrett Kendall
866-873-0879
info@rapidscreenings.com
Source: EmailWire.Com 
Source: EmailWire.com
|
|
|
|
