We proposed a safety study of the Council's lead candidate microbicide, Carraguard® in three cohorts in Durban, South Africa: sexually abstinent HIV-positive women, sexually abstinent HIV-positive men, and sexually active HIV-positive women. Sexually active women must be in an HIV-positive seroconcordant relationship (confirmed by HIV testing of the woman and her male partner) and written informed consent was obtained from the male partners. Women and men in each cohort were randomized to one of three study groups: Carraguard® gel, its matching placebo methyl-cellulose gel, or no product.