HSV-2/SIVmac239wt co-infected animals have higher acute plasma VL and CD4 counts.

<p>A) Schematic representation of the rectal challenges regimen. I. n = 9 animals were inoculated with 3000 TCID₅₀ of SIVΔNef, 12 weeks later challenged with 4x10⁶ pfu of HSV-2 and 3 weeks later with 3000 TCID₅₀ of SIVmac239wt. II. n = 9 animals were challenged with 4x10⁶ pfu of HSV-2 and 3 weeks later with 3000 TCID₅₀ of SIVmac239wt. III) n = 8 animals were inoculated with 3000 TCID₅₀ of SIVΔNef and 15 weeks later challenged with 3000 TCID₅₀ of SIVmac239wt. IV) 6 animals were challenged with 3000 TCID₅₀ of SIVmac239wt as a control. The results of each infection are shown in the <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0149491#pone.0149491.s006" target="_blank">S1 Table</a>. B) Plasma SIVgag RNA copies are shown for the SIVΔNef infected animals throughout the study. The dashed and full vertical lines indicate, respectively, the time of HSV-2 and SIVmac239wt challenges. C) Plasma SIVmac239wt (WT) RNA copies detected by discriminatory RT-qPCR are shown post-SIVmac239wt challenge for SIVmac239wt infected animals (WT; mean±SEM n = 12 animals at day 5 and 10, n = 5 at day 15), HSV-2/SIVmac239wt co-infected (HSV-2 WT; mean±SEM 7 animals) and for the 1 SIVΔNef/HSV-2/SIVmac239wt co-infected animal. All animals were necropsied 15 days after SIVmac239wt challenge. D-E) Blood CD4⁺ T cells counts 2 weeks post-WT challenge (D) and 2 weeks post-HSV-2 challenge (E) are shown for the animals that acquired HSV-2 or SIVΔNef infection compared to those that remained uninfected (Uninf). Bars represent mean ± SEM. Significant p values are shown (α<0.05).