| After disappointing news that the herpes medication | | | | of the virus progressing by 16%. For those taking |
| aciclovir does not prevent the transmission of the | | | | acivlovir 284 saw their CD4 count fall below 200, the |
| HIV virus as previously hoped, there has been more | | | | sign that the virus is getting worse, compared to 324 |
| positive results from a study into whether the same | | | | in the placebo group. |
| medication could slow down the progression of the | | | | They also discovered that for those whose immune |
| virus. | | | | systems were relatively healthy, the medication |
| Published in the Lancet, the research showed that | | | | reduced the chance of their CD4 count talking below |
| though modest, aciclovir can slow down the progress | | | | 350 cells per microlitre by 19%. |
| of HIV, increasing time before it develops into | | | | While the medication is nowhere near as effective at |
| full-blown AIDS. | | | | suppressive the HIV virus as the recommended |
| The research team recruited volunteers to take part | | | | course of anti-retroviral drugs, the study does |
| in the study from Southern and Eastern Africa. They | | | | suggest that aciclovir could be a useful extra weapon |
| enrolled 3,381 heterosexual volunteers, who were | | | | in the armoury of those fighting the epidemic. |
| infected with both Herpes and HIV. It is extremely | | | | Currently, the World Health Organisation recommends |
| common for patients with HIV to also have the | | | | that anti-retroviral treatment begins when someone's |
| Type 2 Herpes virus. | | | | CD4 count falls below 350 per microlitre, rather than |
| Half of those taking part in the study were | | | | wait for the immune system to be even more |
| prescribed acyclovir, the anti-viral medication given to | | | | compromised. Already, poor countries have difficulty |
| people with herpes, either whenever they experience | | | | funding therapy for patients, without having the pool |
| a breakout or as a daily treatment to suppress the | | | | for those eligible increased. |
| virus. The others were given a placebo and both | | | | The discovery that the herpes treatment could stave |
| groups were followed for 24 months. | | | | off the point until anti-retroviral treatment is needed |
| The researchers were particularly eager to see | | | | could not only ease health budgets but also allow |
| whether the CD4 cells in the patients fell, a key | | | | patients to remain a little longer on less toxic |
| indicator of whether the virus was progressing. HIV | | | | medication (the triple cocktail can have severe side |
| destroys the CD4 immune cells. | | | | effects). |
| It was discovered that the aciclovir reduced the risk | | | | |