How mouth health affects Kaposi's sarcoma virus in Ugandan adults with HIV
Effects of the oral environment on KSHV shedding in Ugandan adults living with HIV
This project looks at whether changes in mouth health lead to more shedding of the Kaposi's sarcoma virus in Ugandan adults with and without HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Cincinnati NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11080944 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This study will follow 600 Ugandan adults for two years across three groups: people with HIV on long-term ART, newly diagnosed ART-naïve people with HIV, and HIV-negative adults. Participants will receive regular oral health exams to check for gum disease, periodontitis, and oral lesions, and provide saliva samples that will be tested for KSHV shedding using validated laboratory methods. Researchers will track changes over time to see whether oral disease and HIV status are linked to increased KSHV reactivation in the mouth. Enrollment and follow-up will take place through the General Population Cohort in rural Uganda and at local HIV clinics (TASO and AHF Uganda Cares).
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older living in the study area in rural Uganda, including people with HIV on long-term ART, newly diagnosed ART-naïve people with HIV, and HIV-negative adults.
Not a fit: People under 21, those living outside the study area, or individuals without exposure to KSHV are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to oral health treatments or monitoring that reduce the risk of Kaposi's sarcoma in people with HIV.
How similar studies have performed: This is a relatively novel, large longitudinal effort and prior studies directly linking oral health to KSHV reactivation are limited.
Where this research is happening
Cincinnati, United States
- University of Cincinnati — Cincinnati, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sabourin, Katherine R — University of Cincinnati
- Study coordinator: Sabourin, Katherine R
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.