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In a Perspective, Linda-Gail Bekker and Glenda Gray discuss HIV vaccine development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examines the effect of aciclovir on the progression of HIV-1 disease in people dually infected with HIV-1 and herpes simplex virus type 2 via a randomised placebo-controlled trial. It states that 3,381 heterosexual people who were infected by the said diseases were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to aciclovir 400 mg orally or placebo twice daily in the trial with 14 sites in southern and east Africa. They were followed up for up to 12 months and the effect of aciclovir was defined by a primary endpoint of first occurrence of CD4 cell counts fewer than 200 cells per μL. It suggests that the use of aciclovir reduced the risk of HIV-1 disease progression by 16%, wherein 284 participants for aciclovir and 324 for placebo reached the primary endpoint.