Pilot Study of Oral Probiotic Bacteria Supplementation to Reduce Chronic Immune Activation in HIV-infected Malian Women

"Other: VSL#3® probiotic VSL#3® DS (Sigma-Tau Pharmaceuticals) is a well characterized water soluble, live (9 × 1011 bacteria/sachet), lyophilized preparation of 8 probiotic bacterium that have been detailed previously. Subjects will take 1 sachet of powder orally daily for 12 weeks. As many Malian homes lack refrigeration, subjects will be issued a special canari, a commonly used earthenware water container also containing sand that works on the principal of trans-evaporation to keep contents at room temperature (\~24°C) even in warmer climates. We have verified this in country. Probiotics will be placed in a sealed plastic bag within a sealed jar in the sand of the canari. At the research site, probiotics will be kept refrigerated (4-8°C) in a study provided refrigerator"