RESUMO
The effect of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) on genital HIV-1 RNA shedding and inflammation among 25 HIV-infected women was evaluated. Blood, endocervical, and cervicovaginal lavage samples were collected from HIV-infected women not taking antiretrovirals before LNG-IUD insertion and 1 month, 3 month, and 6 months thereafter. HIV-1 RNA was quantitated by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Inflammatory markers were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Genital HIV-1 RNA shedding and inflammatory markers did not differ between LNG-IUD placement and month 6, with the exception of interleukin 1ß that increased (0.42 log10; 95% confidence interval: 0.10 to 0.75). The LNG-IUD did not increase genital HIV-1 RNA shedding after 6 months of use.
Assuntos
Dispositivos Intrauterinos Medicados , Levanogestrel/uso terapêutico , RNA Viral/análise , RNA Viral/sangue , Adulto , Antirretrovirais/uso terapêutico , Contagem de Linfócito CD4 , Colo do Útero , Anticoncepcionais Femininos/uso terapêutico , Feminino , Infecções por HIV , HIV-1/efeitos dos fármacos , HIV-1/genética , Humanos , Interleucina-1beta/sangue , Quênia , Ducha VaginalRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of vaginal, cervical, and endometrial infections on shedding of HIV-1 RNA in the female genital tract. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. METHODS: Antiretroviral-naive women from Nairobi, Kenya with CD4 cell counts >or= 350 cells/mul had plasma and endocervical wick samples collected for HIV quantification by real-time RNA reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Vaginal and cervical Gram stains and endometrial biopsies were obtained. Vaginal Gram stain was used to diagnose bacterial vaginosis and to quantify Lactobacillus levels. RESULTS: Twenty-six of 50 (52%) women had detectable endocervical HIV-1 RNA with a median endocervical viral load of 1760 copies/ml (range: undetectable to 1 1,030,000 copies/ml). Women with decreased Lactobacillus had 15.8-fold [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.0-123] greater endocervical HIV-1 RNA than women with normal Lactobacillus levels. Women with plasma cell (PC) endometritis [>or= 1 PC/high-power field (hpf)] had a 15.8-fold (95% CI, 2.0-120) higher endocervical HIV RNA level than women without PC endometritis. Both these associations remained after controlling for plasma viral load. Cervicitis (>or= 30 polymorphonuclear leukocytes/hpf), however, was not associated with endocervical HIV-1 RNA shedding (P = 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: In HIV-1-infected, antiretroviral-naive women without symptoms of pelvic inflammatory disease infection, abnormal vaginal flora and inflammatory cells in the endometrium affected HIV-1 shedding from the lower genital tract. These data suggest that both the upper and lower genital tracts contribute to female HIV-1 genital shedding.