The drug, Acyclovir, used for the treatment of genital herpes, does not reduce the risk of HIV contraction, according to researchers.
Reuters is reporting that discovery came as a surprise to researchers who made the announcement at the AIDS conference last week.
The herpes Simplex Virus, HSV-2, which causes genital herpes is said to increase the risk of HIV. Researchers conducted the experiment with more than 3,000 gay male participants infected with HSV-2, but not infected with the AIDS causing virus, HIV.
The participants were given a pill twice daily for 18 months. Some of the men were given Acyclovir and the remaining men were given a placebo.
The presence of HIV was just as common for those taking Acyclovir, as it was for those taking the sugar pill.
However, researchers did notice a significantly lower presence of genital ulcers in the group taking Acyclovir. With the results of the experiment in mind, researchers are calling genital herpes a "risk marker" for HIV, instead of a "risk factor."
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