Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if acyclovir episodic treatment has an effect in ulcer healing and if it should be added to the syndromic management of genital ulcer disease.


Clinical Trial Description

Background and Objectives: Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is the primary cause of genital ulcer and one of the most prevalent sexually transmitted infections (STI) worldwide. HSV-2 has been recognized as a risk factor for HIV in multiple studies. A substantial shift in the aetiology of genital ulcer disease (GUD) towards genital herpes has been noted in many countries in Africa, especially those with mature HIV epidemics. Some countries guided by the predominance of HSV-2 as the aetiology of GUD in their country, are changing syndromic guidelines to include acyclovir as part of the treatment for GUD. Little data is available to support this decision in terms of its effect on clinical course and its cost-effectiveness. Yet, substantial investment would be needed in poor countries to add acyclovir to their essential drug list. Studies to determine the appropriateness of episodic acyclovir therapy for HSV-2 in the developing world are needed.

Episodic therapy with acyclovir both as a treatment modality and as an HIV-prevention strategy is appealing, in terms of cost and sustainability. However, it is not clear which will be its impact under field conditions in which there would be delay in symptom recognition and treatment initiation, and whether these conditions could be optimized through patient education. We propose to conduct a randomized placebo-controlled trial of the effect of HSV-2 episodic therapy on symptomatic herpes and on HIV shedding from genital ulcers. This study will help answer the question if acyclovir therapy for herpes should be added into the syndromic management of genital ulcer disease. Acyclovir has an acceptable profile for widespread STI treatment and is now relatively inexpensive and well-tolerated. Given that HSV-2 is the leading cause of GUD in the developing world, this approach could have great public health importance, by providing a safe, acceptable, and cost-effective method to treat genital ulcer disease and potentially reduce HIV transmission. If acyclovir therapy reduces HIV shedding, its incorporation into syndromic management would provide and effective way to scale it up as a public health intervention.

Methods: We plan an individually randomized double blind placebo-control trial of the WHO and US CDC recommended dose of 3-times daily acyclovir for a 5-day treatment course. The trial will be conducted at two primary health care clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa. A total of 600 men presenting to the clinic with GUD will be enrolled in the study. Consenting participants will be randomized to receive either acyclovir plus syndromic management or placebo plus syndromic management. Syndromic management for genital ulcer disease will consist of one dose antibiotics to cover for syphilis and chancroid. Participants will be followed for a month; during follow-up visits duration of ulcers, ulcer number and size will be evaluated and ulcer, blood and semen samples collected to test for HIV RNA viral loads among HIV-positives and for HSV-2 shedding.

Timeline: Duration of the project is 2 years

Expected Outcomes: The main outcome of the study will be the evaluation of the impact of acyclovir therapy on ulcer healing. We will also measure the impact of acyclovir therapy on HIV and HSV-2 viral load from genital ulcers and HIV viral load in semen. ;


Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double-Blind, Primary Purpose: Treatment


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT00164424
Study type Interventional
Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Contact
Status Completed
Phase Phase 2/Phase 3
Start date March 2005
Completion date July 2011

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT05454514 - Automated Medication Platform With Video Observation and Facial Recognition to Improve Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Patients With HIV/AIDS N/A
Completed NCT03760458 - The Pharmacokinetics, Safety, and Tolerability of Abacavir/Dolutegravir/Lamivudine Dispersible and Immediate Release Tablets in HIV-1-Infected Children Less Than 12 Years of Age Phase 1/Phase 2
Completed NCT03141918 - Effect of Supplementation of Bioactive Compounds on the Energy Metabolism of People Living With HIV / AIDS N/A
Completed NCT03067285 - A Phase IV, Open-label, Randomised, Pilot Clinical Trial Designed to Evaluate the Potential Neurotoxicity of Dolutegravir/Lamivudine/Abacavir in Neurosymptomatic HIV Patients and Its Reversibility After Switching to Elvitegravir/Cobicistat/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide. DREAM Study Phase 4
Recruiting NCT04579146 - Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in Patients HIV-infected
Completed NCT06212531 - Papuan Indigenous Model of Male Circumcision N/A
Active, not recruiting NCT03256422 - Antiretroviral Treatment Taken 4 Days Per Week Versus Continuous Therapy 7/7 Days Per Week in HIV-1 Infected Patients Phase 3
Completed NCT03256435 - Retention in PrEP Care for African American MSM in Mississippi N/A
Completed NCT00517803 - Micronutrient Supplemented Probiotic Yogurt for HIV/AIDS and Other Immunodeficiencies N/A
Active, not recruiting NCT03572335 - Systems Biology of Diffusion Impairment in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Completed NCT04165200 - Fecal Microbiota Transplantation as a Therapeutic Strategy for Patients Infected With HIV N/A
Recruiting NCT03854630 - Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination in HIV-positive Patients and Individuals at High Risk for HIV Infection Phase 4
Terminated NCT03275571 - HIV, Computerized Depression Therapy & Cognition N/A
Completed NCT02234882 - Study on Pharmacokinetics Phase 1
Completed NCT01618305 - Evaluating the Response to Two Antiretroviral Medication Regimens in HIV-Infected Pregnant Women, Who Begin Antiretroviral Therapy Between 20 and 36 Weeks of Pregnancy, for the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Phase 4
Recruiting NCT05043129 - Safety and Immune Response of COVID-19 Vaccination in Patients With HIV Infection
Not yet recruiting NCT05536466 - The Influence of Having Bariatric Surgery on the Pharmacokinetics, Safety and Efficacy of the Novel Non-nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor Doravirine N/A
Recruiting NCT04985760 - Evaluation of Trimer 4571 Therapeutic Vaccination in Adults Living With HIV on Suppressive Antiretroviral Therapy Phase 1
Completed NCT05916989 - Stimulant Use and Methylation in HIV
Terminated NCT02116660 - Evaluation of Renal Function, Efficacy, and Safety When Switching From Tenofovir/Emtricitabine Plus a Protease Inhibitor/Ritonavir, to a Combination of Raltegravir (MK-0518) Plus Nevirapine Plus Lamivudine in HIV-1 Participants With Suppressed Viremia and Impaired Renal Function (MK-0518-284) Phase 2