Cervicovaginal Inflammation Facilitates Acquisition of Less Infectious HIV Variants

Abstract

We evaluated whether genital inflammation affects the selection of the transmitted virus. Among South African women, we found that preinfection genital inflammation facilitates transmission of less infectious human immunodeficiency virus, but highly infectious viruses are able to establish infection regardless of inflammation status. This suggests that viral phenotype can influence transmission risk.

Keywords: HIV acquisition; cytokine; female genital tract; inflammation; viral infectivity.