Though scientists were disappointed by a study that showed that the herpes drug aciclovir did not prevent the transmission of HIV from person to person, hope has been raised that the medication could delay the progression of the illness.
Researchers published the results of a study involving 3,3000 African patients in The Lancet, which showed that the easily-accessible anti-viral reduced the risk of the illness progressing by 16%.
Previously studies had shown that aciclovir reduced the levels of HIV in the blood but there was uncertainty as to whether this could slow down how quickly the virus takes hold.
Though they were restrained about the results, calling the effect ‘modest’, the team said that as the treatment was relatively cheap it could be a useful way to help patients with the infection stay health for as long as possible, until they get access to HIV-specific antiretrovirals.
Scientists were encouraged to test the relationship between the herpes treatment and HIV by the fact that in Africa, the majority of patients with HIV also are carrying the Herpes Simplex II virus, also known as genital herpes.
The study saw participants receive either a twice-daily dose of the medication or a placebo and they were monitored for 2 years. By the end of the study, 284 people taking the medication had either seen their CD4 count drop, indicating they should be on antiretrovirals, or had died. This was compared to 324 patients in the placebo group.
While HIV treatment using antiretrovirals is far and away the most effective way to slow the progression of the illness, the team suggested that acyclovir could provide another treatment option, perhaps for patients not yet eligible for antiretroviral treatment.