The presence of active urogenital schistosomiasis can increase HIV spread. On the other hand, effective antihelminthic therapy can reduce HIV spread in vulnerable populations.
Interestingly HIV-1 can integrate in the schistosomal genome (Suttiprapa et al).
Schistosomiasis may influence the spread of HIV through:
(1) increased HIV-1 RNA load in seminal fluid.
(2) friable mucosal urogenital lesions which can bleed and offer a portal for entry.
Antihelminthic therapy appears to:
(1) reduce the spread of HIV
(2) reduce anemia and other comorbidities
(3) variable improvement markers of disease progression (lower HIV viral load; higher CD4+ lymphocyte counts)
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