Avaginal microbicideis amicrobicideforvaginaluse, generally as protection against the contraction of asexually transmitted infectionduring vaginalsexual intercourse.Vaginal microbicides aretopical gelsor creams inserted into the vagina.
| Vaginal microbicide | |
|---|---|
| Specialty | Gynecology |
Target market
editResearchers have investigated who has interest in using a vaginal microbicide.Condomsare highly effective in preventing the transmission of infection, but worldwide, the decision to use condoms is more often a decision made by males than females.[1]A vaginal microbicide which could prevent sexual transmission of infection would further empower women to influence the result of their sexual encounters.[1]The demographic interested in using the produce included women with the following characteristics:[2]
- have previously had a sexually transmitted infection
- have a sexual partner who had another sexual partner in the past year
- minority group
- low income
- unmarried and not cohabiting
- no steady sexual partner
The number of women interested in using such a product has been characterized as being significant enough to merit product development and marketing.[2]
Characteristics
editThe ideal vaginal microbicide would have the following characteristics: provide protection against infection not require application at the time of intercourse not harm the natural tissue[3]As of 2009[update],not harming natural tissue was the most troublesome aspect of development.[3]
For HIV
editStudies for using vaginal microbicides for HIV treatment rapidly increased through 2011 to 2013 due mostly to the observation that antiretroviral drugs designed for HIV treatment sometimes also achievepreexposure prophylaxisand significantly reduced HIV risks.[4]Several unrelated chemical mechanisms have been proposed for vaginal microbicides treating HIV.[1]One obstacle to effective research is that trials may involve social harms for trial participants, although one 2019 study found these social harms to be relatively small.[5]There is also often a self-reporting bias in condom and vaginal microbicide use in trials, suggesting the need for vaginal applicator staining to confirm whether the vaginal microbicides were effectively applied.[6]
Surfactants
editThe first vaginal microbicide studied wasnonoxynol-9,which acted as asurfactant.[1]
Blocking HIV binding
editPRO 2000,carrageenan,and cellulose sulphate have been studied as microbicides to block HIV binding.[1]
Topical antiretrovirals
editTenofovirhas been studied as a topicalantiretroviral.[1]One example of a tenofovir study isCAPRISA 004in 2010, finding its use reduced HIV infection risk by 39% overall.[4]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcdefWeber, J.; Desai, K.; Darbyshire, J.; Microbicides Development Programme (2005)."The Development of Vaginal Microbicides for the Prevention of HIV Transmission".PLOS Medicine.2(5): e142.doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0020142.PMC1140953.PMID15916473.
- ^abDarroch, Jacqueline E.; Jennifer J. Frost (January–February 1998)."Women's Interest in Vaginal Microbicides".Family Planning Perspectives.31(1): 16–23.doi:10.2307/2991552.JSTOR2991552.PMID10029928.Retrieved21 November2011.
- ^abLaurence, Jeffery; Johnston, Rowena (19 February 2009)."The Promise of an Effective Vaginal Microbicide".amfar.org.Archived fromthe originalon 23 March 2011.Retrieved20 November2011.
- ^abStone, Alan B.; Harrison, Polly F.; Lusti-Narasimhan, Manjula (2013-09-10)."Microbicides from a regulatory perspective".AIDS.27(14): 2261–2269.doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e32836239b4.ISSN0269-9370.PMID23612007.
- ^Montgomery, Elizabeth T.; Roberts, Sarah T.; Nel, Annalene; Malherbe, Mariette; Torjesen, Kristine; Bunge, Katherine; Singh, Devika; Baeten, Jared M.; Marrazzo, Jeanne; Chirenje, Z. Mike; Kabwigu, Samuel; Beigi, Richard; Riddler, Sharon A.; Gaffour, Zakir; Reddy, Krishnaveni (2019-11-15)."Social harms in female-initiated HIV prevention method research: state of the evidence".AIDS.33(14): 2237–2244.doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000002346.ISSN0269-9370.PMC6832829.PMID31408030.
- ^Mauck, Christine K.; Schwartz, Jill L. (2012)."Dyeing to Know: The Use of Vaginal Applicator Staining and Other Techniques to Assess Adherence to Product Use in Microbicide Trials".Sexually Transmitted Diseases.39(9): 713–715.doi:10.1097/OLQ.0b013e318264f6b0.ISSN0148-5717.JSTOR44981930.PMID22902668.