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The negative results of the giant Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study in Africa were a notable disappointment in HIV research: Daily acyclovir significantly reduced the incidence of genital ulcer disease in individuals coinfected with HIV and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), but it did not reduce rates of heterosexual HIV transmission (JW Infect Dis Jan 20 2010). During the trial, investigators noted that patients taking acyclovir seemed to fare better clinically than those taking placebo; the formal results of that analysis have now been published.
The study involved more than 3000 HIV/HSV-2–coinfected individuals (68% women) who were part of HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples and were not receiving antiretroviral the…