Vitamin A Supplementation Does Not Reduce HSV Shedding

In women with HIV and herpes simplex virus (HSV) coinfection, vitamin A supplementation does not reduce genital HSV shedding, according to a report in the April 15th issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Dr. Jared M. Baeten of the University of Washington in Seattle and colleagues note that vitamin A deficiency has been associated with genital shedding of HSV in women infected with HIV.

In their randomized, prospective trial, however, when 376 dually infected women in Kenya took daily vitamin A supplements or placebo for 6 weeks, there was no significant difference between the groups in either detection of genital HSV DNA, or in the mean quantity of HSV DNA.

The authors also note that HSV shedding was associated with significantly higher vaginal and cervical shedding of HIV.

"The present study confirms that shedding of HSV is common among women coinfected with HSV-2 and HIV-1 and that it may increase HIV1 infectivity," the researchers conclude.

They note, however, that vitamin A supplements are "unlikely to be widely effective in reducing shedding and transmission" in these women.

"Interventions to decrease HSV reactivation, such as HSV suppressive therapy with acyclovir, should be pursued as potential strategies to decrease shedding and transmission of HIV-1," they conclude.

04/21/04

J Infect Dis 2004;189:1466-1471.