Anti-HIV treatment
Sexual health
A new study suggests that HIV superinfection (or reinfection) may occur more frequently than previously thought.
Researchers monitored 36 HIV-positive female sex workers for five years and found that seven became reinfected with a second strain of HIV.
It had been thought that the risk of superinfection was greatest in the first few years after a person first becomes infected with HIV. But the researchers found that two of the women were reinfected when their HIV infection was well-established. Indeed, one woman was superinfected over five years after she was first infected with the virus.
The researchers were unable to say what effect superinfection had on the long-term health of these women. But viral load increased significantly in two women after they were reinfected.
None of the women in this study were taking anti-HIV treatment (which some experts think may have a protective effect against superinfection because it boosts the immune system).
Many people with HIV chose to have unprotected sex with other HIV-positive people. This can involve a risk of superinfection and other sexually transmitted infections. Although superinfection appears to be rare (there’s been a total of 30 or so cases reported so far), it has been shown to cause an increase in viral load and a drop in CD4 cell count in some people. And because some people have been reinfected with drug-resistant HIV, their treatment options have been reduced.
The risk of superinfection appears to be greatest soon after a person is first infected with HIV. But it is now clear the people who’ve had HIV for some years – those with ‘chronic’ infection – can also be superinfected.
If you’re worried about superinfection it’s worth knowing that condoms, when used properly, provide excellent protection against HIV, as well as most other sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.
Medical tests
As part of your routine HIV care you should have regular blood tests.
Key blood tests used to monitor the health of people with HIV are CD4 cell counts, which give an indication of the strength of the immune system, viral load tests, to see how active HIV is in the body, tests to monitor your metabolism, and tests to see how the liver and kidneys and working.
It is known that people with HIV have a greater risk of experiencing kidney problems.
But the routine test used to monitor kidney function – creatinine clearance – isn’t 100% reliable in people with chronic illnesses like HIV.
People with HIV were more likely to have abnormally levels of cystatin C if they had high blood pressure, low good HDL cholesterol, a low CD4 cell count or were coinfected with hepatitis C virus .