HIV type 1 cervicovaginal reservoirs in the era of HAART

Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) does not lead to viral eradication, due to HIV-1 residual disease.We investigated whether the cervicovaginal tract serves as a viral reservoir. Seven out of eight cervicovaginalfluids were positive for cell-free HIV-1, by supersensitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reactions(RT-PCR), with a detection limit of 1 copy/ml. No viral outgrowth, intracellular proviral DNA, orviral RNA was detected from cervicovaginal lavage and ecto- and endocervical cells. The cervicovaginal tractof patients on HAART is likely not a major solid tissue reservoir for HIV-1. Nonetheless, the presence of evenlow cell-free HIV-1 RNA in cervicovaginal secretions continues to suggest the importance of practicing protectedsex, even in the era of HAART.