SHIV susceptibility changes during the menstrual cycle of pigtail macaques. Issue 5 (29th April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kersh, Ellen N.; Henning, Tara; Vishwanathan, Sundaram A.; Morris, Monica; Butler, Katherine; Adams, Debra R.; Guenthner, Patricia; Srinivasan, Priya; Smith, James; Radzio, Jessica; Garcia‐Lerma, J. Gerardo; Dobard, Charles; Heneine, Walid; McNicholl, Janet
• Is Part Of: Journal of medical primatology. Volume 43:Issue 5(2014)
• Page Start: 310
• Page End: 316
• Publication Date: 2014-04-29
• Subjects: Primates -- Periodicals; Primates -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Medicine, Experimental -- Periodicals; 616.02738
• DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12124
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2565

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jmp12124-abs-0001"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="jmp12124-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Hormonal changes during menstrual cycling may affect susceptibility to HIV.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12124-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>We determined the simian human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) acquisition time point in 43 cycling pigtail macaques infected by repeated vaginal virus exposures initiated randomly in the cycle.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12124-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>SHIV infection was first detected in the follicular phase in 38 macaques (88%), and in the luteal phase in five macaques (12%), indicating a statistically significant timing difference. Assuming a 7‐day eclipse phase, most infections occurred during or following a high‐progesterone period associated with menstruation, vaginal epithelium thinning, and suppressed mucosal immunity.</p> </sec> <sec id="jmp12124-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>This raises questions whether other high‐progesterone conditions (pregnancy, hormonal contraception) similarly affect HIV risk.</p> </sec> </abstract>