Rationale: Observational data show a correlation between HIV viral load and risk of HIV transmission. In some settings, individuals with low or undetectable viral loads have been observed to have low or nonexistent rates of transmitting to their sexual partners. This study is designed to evaluate whether effective ARV treatment reduces risk of transmission among serodiscordant couples.
Study question(s): This study examines whether antiretroviral therapy (ART) can help reduce the risk of HIV transmission in HIV-serodiscordant couples. The study is also designed to compare infection rates in two different groups of serodiscordant couples. In one group, the HIV-positive partner begins ART as soon as the couple is enrolled in the study, while in the second group, the HIV-positive partner doesn't begin ART until he or she has two consecutive measurements of a CD4+ cell count within or below the range of 200-250 cells/mm3, or when he or she develops an AIDS-defining illness.
Participants: 1,750 HIV-serodiscordant couples in which the HIV-positive partner has not started antiretroviral therapy and has a CD4+ cell count of 300-500 cells/mm3
Countries: Botswana, Brazil, India, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Thailand, Zimbabwe
Trial sponsors and collaborators: Boehringer-Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKlein, US National Institutes of Health (NIH)
When can we expect results? 2013
To learn more visit:
http://www.hptn.org/research_studies/hptn052.asp
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00074581?term=HPTN+052&rank=1