HIV-1 uninfected individuals within HIV-1 discordant partnerships are at high-risk for HIV-acquisition. The majority of HIV-1 transmissions to adults in Africa occur within stable, HIV-1 discordant couples.~Pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis, in which an HIV-1 uninfected individual at high risk for contracting HIV-1 takes antiretroviral medications to maintain blood and genital drug levels sufficient to prevent HIV-1 acquisition, has been proposed as a potential HIV-1 prevention strategy.~This study was a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial to demonstrate if pre-exposure prophylaxis decreases HIV-1 acquisition among HIV-1 uninfected individuals within HIV-1 discordant couples. The HIV-1 uninfected partner was randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to one of three arms: once daily Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF), Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (FTC/TDF) or Placebo.~Couples were followed up to 36 months; the HIV uninfected partner attended monthly visits and the HIV infected partner quarterly visits. All participants received a comprehensive package of HIV prevention services including individual and couples counseling, free condoms, and male circumcision referrals.~Participants who seroconverted during follow-up stopped the study drug but continued with follow-up.
Randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial to demonstrate if pre-exposure prophylaxis decreases HIV-1 acquisition among HIV-1 uninfected individuals within HIV-1 discordant couples.