High levels of cervical HIV-1 RNA during early HIV-1 infection.

Few data are available on genital tract viral replication early after HIV-1 acquisition, when infectivity is high. We compared cervical HIV-1 RNA from 60 women with paired samples from within 90 days after HIV-1 acquisition and at viral setpoint (4-24 months). Cervical HIV-1 was higher in early compared with setpoint samples (mean 3.43 versus 2.85 log(10) copies/swab, P < 0.001). After adjusting for HIV-1-plasma RNA, cervical HIV-1 RNA from 30 days or less after infection was increased by 0.45 log(10) copies/swab (P = 0.006).