Improving vaginal health to decrease biological risk of HIV-1 infection in Canadian ACB women

Project Name:

Improving vaginal health to decrease biological risk of HIV-1 infection in Canadian ACB women

Funding Dates:

2017 - 2019

Status:

Completed

Principal Investigators:

Charu Kaushic, Esther Wangari Tharao  

Description:

 Studies show that Black women are more susceptible to sexually transmitted infections, particularly HIV-1, compared to women from other racial background and this could be partly due to biological differences. One key underlying reason could be the type of bacteria that colonize the vaginal tract which is known to affect the susceptibility to HIV-1. Studies show that 40% of Black women appear to have vaginal bacteria that could increase their risk to HIV-1 infection. Hormonal contraceptives can also control the type of bacteria that can grow and estrogen has been shown to enhance vaginal health and protect women from HIV-1

Purpose and Objectives:

This project will examine through a study in ACB women, whether vaginal ring that contains estrogen in combination with probiotic treatment to test if this helps to colonize "healthy" vaginal bacteria and decreases the inflammation and HIV-1 target cells.

Method:

Population:

ACB women

Region:

Toronto, ON

Start and End Date:

2017 - 2018

Results:

Project Indicators and Outcomes:

Funding Sources:

CIHR

Keywords: