Fluctuations of HIV load in semen of HIV positive patients with newly acquired sexually transmitted diseases: Fig 1

Abstract

Most HIV infections worldwide are acquired sexually, yet most coital episodes involving an infected partner do not result in acquisition of HIV. Acquisition of HIV must depend on both the volume of secretions transferred from the infected partner (donor) and the concentration of HIV present in the secretions. However, exposure alone to such a virus inoculum is clearly insufficient to ensure transmission. The coexistence of other sexually transmitted diseases in either the recipient or donor could potentially increase the risk of transmission by causing genital ulcers or by releasing inflammatory cytokines which increase HIV replication.1 We measured the HIV load in the semen and blood of HIV infected patients presenting with acute sexually transmitted diseases to determine if viral load …