Can Presumptive Anthelminthic Treatment Delay the Progression of HIV in ART-naïve Patients in Rural Africa?

This study focuses on one of the major health issues of Sub-Saharan Africa: multi-parasitism and co-infections. In particular this study aims to elucidate the interaction of helminths with HIV. There is good reason to suspect a detrimental effect of helminth infection on the course of HIV infection. We hypothesize, that treatment of helminths in HIV- and helminth co-infected individuals leads to a reduction of HIV viral load. With a lower HIV RNA level one would expect a slower decline of CD4 cells and hence also a slower progression of the disease. Ideally this would lead to a prolongation of the chronic phase of HIV infection and to a delay in the time when anti-retroviral treatment needs to be started.