HIV-1 RNA shedding in the female genital tract is associated with reduced quantity of Lactobacilli in clinically asymptomatic HIV-positive women.

We quantified vaginal lactobacilli and determined their relationship with genital HIV-1 shedding and found a significant negative association between reduced quantity of lactobacilli and cervical HIV-1 viral load (r(2) = - 0.8900, P < 0.01), which may have implications of increased chances of sexual transmission of HIV-1 and genital infections.