Vaginal bacterium plays a of the essence function in heterosexual HIV transmittal , according to finding presented at the21st International AIDS Conference . This office , investigator say , has been miss in movement to prevent the virus ' ranch .
Like the mouth or gut , the vagina has a bacterial ecology . A healthy vaginal ecosystem is dominated bylactobacillus , but when something lowerslactobaciiluslevels , other bacteria can move in . That these competing bacterium can induce a range of problems is well known , but two new study have unveil just how serious these upshot can be .
In one admittedly small sketch , fair sex with gamey concentration ofPrevotella biviawere almost 20 times as probable to larn HIV through sex as those with low or noP. bivialevels . The mechanism for this effect was identified as the bacterium do an lighting in the vagina , which in twist trigger the waiver of lipopolysaccharide ( LPS ) . LPS is know tofacilicate HIV contagion .
Another study found that a dissimilar bacteria , Gardnerella vaginalis , make a more indirect part to HIV ’s spread . G. vaginalisabsorbs tenofovir gel . In its absence , the gelatin is an effective means of preventing HIV transmission system , but where lowlactobacilluslevels allowG. vaginalisto move in , the gelatin ’s protective effect is lost .
" Reducing unexampled HIV infections in young women is one of the greatest challenges in southern Africa,“Professor Salim Abdool - Karimof Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa ( CAPRISA ) say in astatement . " establish on our outcome , implementing a compounding of evidence - based targeted intervention to break the cycle of HIV transmittal while effectively treating bacterial vaginosis could enhance HIV bar in women in the highest HIV - burden region of the world . "
BothPrevotellaandGardnerellamake the vaginal duct more alkaline , so simple tests bring out if there is a problem . Moresophisticated testsare also available to distinguish the nature of the contagion .
At apress conferenceheld to discuss HIV prevention and discussion among women and girls , Abdool - Karim say that the findings had yet to be replicated in other regions and that “ within larger studies we need to do subgroup psychoanalysis ” to see to what extent vaginal infections are contributing to the spread of HIV .
" Reducing new HIV contagion in young cleaning woman is one of [ our ] high priorities,“saidGlobal AIDS Coordinator Dr Deborah Birx . " The CAPRISA findings provide us with a with child understanding of how to protect immature women . This groundbreaking study indicate immature women may have been very compliant withPrEP . This new insight will permit us to move forrader with a different understanding of how adept to protect women from HIV . "
CAPRISA recentlyreleased resultsshowing that , despite increased availability of antiretroviral therapy and HIV prevention strategy , infection rate have actually risen among pregnant South African charwoman and girls age 15 to 24 . Between 2009 and 2013 , middling rates of infection were 39.3 percentage in rural KwaZulu - Natal , with subgroups such as those with older cooperator , even more vulnerable .
