DISTINCT DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 RNA AND DNA LOADS IN VAGINAL AND CERVICAL SECRETIONS

The relationship between human immunodeficiency, virus type 1 (HIV-1) viral RNA and proviral DNA load in vagina and cenix and that found in the plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was investiga ted in 28 HIV-1-infected women. Of the patients, 64% had al HIV-1 RNA- positive genital sample, while 71% had greater than or equal to 1 DNA- positive sample. The higher the cervical HIV load, the more widespread was the virus in the genital tract. A strong correlation was found be tween viral RNA load in plasma and the genital tract, whereas the asso ciation between proviral DNA load in PBMC and the genital tract was le ss evident, Cervical HIV-1 DNA correlated with a viral RNA load greate r than or equal to 50,000 copies/mL. Cervical HIV-1 RNA levels ranged from 10% to 100% of the plasma levels. Thus, a continuous transmission risk from untraumatized genital epithelium exists in the majority of HIV-1-infected women at all stages of infection.