en Molecular Microbiology Molecular Microbiology مقاله کامل Full Length/Original Article <p><strong>Background:</strong> Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is a common infection in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients and may accelerate HIV progression by rising HIV viral load and decreasing CD4 count. However, the available data regarding the influence of HSV-2 seropositivity on HIV progression in HIV individuals are inconclusive. Therefore, we aimed to determine HSV-2 seroprevalence in na&iuml;ve HIV patients and normal controls and also investigate the relation of HIV&nbsp;viral load and CD4 count with HSV-2 seropositivity. Subsequently, we investigated the association of HSV-2 serostatus with changing in CD4 count and HIV&nbsp;viral load in our subjects, after one year follow-up. <strong>Methods:</strong> In this study, 116 na&iuml;ve HIV patients and 85 healthy controls from Tehran, Iran were enrolled.&nbsp; HSV-2 IgG antibody was detected by ELISA. CD4 count was determined by flowcytometry, and serum HIV RNA copy numbers were determined using real-time PCR. <strong>Results: </strong>The prevalence of HSV-2 IgG was 18.1% in na&iuml;ve HIV patients and 0% in the control group (<em>P</em> = 0.000). HSV-2 seroconversion was observed in&nbsp;2.43% of HIV patients after one year. There was no significant difference regarding HSV-2 serostatus with CD4 count and HIV RNA viral load in our study cohort at baseline and after one year. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> Our results&nbsp;revealed that the prevalence and incidence of HSV-2 infection are low in our HIV cases, and it is negligible in the control group. However, it seems that HIV/HSV2 co-infection has no role on HIV infection acceleration.</p> Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), Serology, CD4 lymphocyte count, Viral load 123 128 http://ibj.pasteur.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-673&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Minoo Mohraz Yes Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Arezoo Aghakhani No Department of Clinical Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran Saeedeh Moayedi-Nia No Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Mohammad Banifazl No Iranian Society for Support of Patients with Infectious Disease, Tehran, Iran Alireza Janbakhsh No Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran Setareh Mamishi No Pediatric Infectious Disease Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Afsaneh Karami No Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran Anahita Bavand No Department of Clinical Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran Pegah Mirzapour No Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS, Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Amitis Ramezani No Department of Clinical Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran