Association of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection and Syphilis With HIV Infection Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Peru

Javier Lama from the Asociacion Civil Impacta Salud y Educacion and colleagues surveyed and tested for HIV 3,280 men who have sex with men in Peru and found an HIV prevalence of 13.9% in the group, a herpes simplex virus type 2 prevalence of 46.3% and a syphilis prevalence of 13.4%. The study also found that 80.5% of MSM who tested HIV-positive also tested positive for herpes, compared with 40.8% of HIV-negative MSM who tested positive for herpes. According to the researchers, self-reported sexually transmitted infections in the prior six months; prior syphilis, genital warts or genital ulcer disease; cocaine use before or during sex; history of sex work or exchange of money for sex; oral receptive sex; proctitis, an inflamation of the rectal lining; unprotected sex; and identification as "homosexual" also were found to be "significant predictors of HIV infection." The researchers recommend increasing condom distribution, routine STI testing and herpes treatment to curb HIV transmission among MSM in the country (Lama et al., Journal of Infectious Diseases, October 2006)

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