Kr. Robertson et al., PSYCHOIMMUNOLOGY AND AIDS - PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AND HERPES-SIMPLEXVIRUS IN HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS INFECTED INDIVIDUALS, Psychology & health, 8(5), 1993, pp. 317-327
No studies investigating the relationship of herpesviruses and psychol
ogical distress in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection are av
ailable in the literature. Antibody titers for Cytomegalovirus (CMV),
Epstein-Barr (EBV) and Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) were assessed from s
era drawn at the time of psychological testing for one hundred HIV ser
opositive subjects. Increased psychological distress was correlated wi
th increased titers of antibody to HSV, but not to CMV or EBV. Psychol
ogical distress may play a role in the devastating HSV infections expe
rienced by immune deficient individuals. A stress mediated reactivatio
n/potentiation hypothesis is discussed, where distress reactivates lat
ent HSV which in turn potentiates HIV replication. These results may h
ave implications for treatment of individuals co-infected with HIV and
HSV.