Prospective pilot study on the relationship between seminal HIV-1 shedding and genital schistosomiasis in men receiving antiretroviral therapy along Lake Malawi

Kayuni, Seke, Abdullahi, Adam, Alharbi, Mohammad, Makaula, Peter, Lampiao, Fanuel, Juziwelo, Lazarus, LaCourse, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9261-7136, Kumwenda, Johnstone J., Leutscher, Peter Derek Christian, Geretti, Anna Maria and Stothard, Russell ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9370-3420 (2023) 'Prospective pilot study on the relationship between seminal HIV-1 shedding and genital schistosomiasis in men receiving antiretroviral therapy along Lake Malawi'. Scientific Reports, Vol 13, Issue 1, e14154.

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Abstract

Male genital schistosomiasis (MGS) is hypothesized to increase seminal shedding of HIV-1. This prospective pilot study assessed seminal HIV-1 RNA shedding in men on long-term ART with and without a diagnosis of MGS. Study visits occurred at 0, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. MGS was diagnosed by egg positivity on semen microscopy or PCR of seminal sediment. After optimization of the HIV-RNA assay, we examined 72 paired plasma and semen samples collected from 31 men (15 with and 16 without MGS) over 12 months. HIV-1 RNA was detected in 7/72 (9.7%) seminal samples and 25/72 (34.7%) plasma samples. When comparing sample pairs, 5/72 (6.9%) showed HIV-1 RNA detection only in the seminal sample. Overall, 3/31 (9.7%) participants, all with MGS, had detectable HIV-1 RNA in semen while plasma HIV-1 RNA was undetectable (< 22 copies/mL), with seminal levels ranging up to 400 copies/mL. Two participants showing HIV-1 RNA in seminal fluid from the MGS-negative group also had concomitant HIV-1 RNA detection in plasma. The findings suggest that MGS can be associated with low-level HIV-1 RNA shedding despite virologically suppressive ART. Further studies are warranted to confirm these observations and assess its implications.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 810 Schistosomiasis
Faculty: Department:	Biological Sciences > Department of Tropical Disease Biology
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40756-8
SWORD Depositor:	JISC Pubrouter
Depositing User:	JISC Pubrouter
Date Deposited:	01 Sep 2023 09:48
Last Modified:	14 Sep 2023 12:17
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/23055

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