Herpes Drug Doubles as HIV Treatment?

by Ivanhoe Newswire
(UK)

Ivanhoe Newswire Thursday, Sep. 11, 2008; 4:15 AM

New research reveals a surprising interaction between a drug used for herpes and HIV. The research shows that drug, acyclovir (ACV) that is commonly used for herpes, directly suppresses HIV in co-infected tissues.

Study authors explain that those infected with HIV are also infected with other microbes. Therefore HIV and human herpes virus (HHV),
especially herpes simplex virus-2 (HSV-2), are often associated. For years, doctors have used ACV to treat HHV in humans. It was thought that ACV was only specific to HHV and not HIV. But researchers from National Institute of Health have found that may not be the case.

Investigators decided to treat small blocks of human tissue with ACV. They found ACV doesn't stop HIV in "sterile" cell lines, but it does
suppress HIV in tissues that carry no HSV-2 but various other HHVs. Basically, ACV prevents HIV from copying itself in some cases.

Researchers say this explains the treatment outcomes of ACV in patients with both HSV-2 and HIV, but it also suggests that ACV may be used against HIV in patients with various other HHVs. Study authors say that new strategies to use ACV can now be developed.

SOURCE: Cell Host and Microbe, 2008;4:260-270