Abstract
BackgroundAs the transmission routes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are similar, previous studies based on separate research on HIV-1 and HCV assumed a similar transmission pattern. However, few studies have focused on the possible correlation of the spatial dynamics of HIV-1 and HCV among HIV-1/HCV coinfected patients.MethodsA total of 310 HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users were recruited in Yingjiang and Kaiyuan prefectures, Yunnan Province, China. HIV-1 env, p17, pol and HCV C/E2, NS5B fragments were amplified and sequenced from serum samples. The genetic characteristics and spatial dynamics of HIV-1 and HCV were explored by phylogenetic, bootscanning, and phylogeographic analyses.ResultsAmong HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users, eight HCV subtypes (1a, 1b, 3a, 3b, 6a, 6n, 6v, and 6u) and two HIV-1 subtypes (subtype B and subtype C), three HIV-1 circulating recombinant forms (CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC and CRF08_BC), and four unique recombinant forms (URF_BC, URF_01B, URF_01C and URF_01BC) were identified. HCV subtype 3b was the most predominant subtype in both Yingjiang and Kaiyuan prefectures. The dominant circulating HIV-1 subtypes for drug users among the two areas were CRF08_BC and URF_BC. Maximum clade credibility trees revealed that both HIV-1 and HCV were transmitted from Yingjiang to Kaiyuan.ConclusionsThe spatial dynamics of HIV-1 and HCV among HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users seem to have high consistency, providing theoretical evidence for the prevention of HIV-1 and HCV simultaneously.
Highlights
As the transmission routes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are similar, previous studies based on separate research on HIV-1 and HCV assumed a similar transmission pattern
Demographic characteristics Most of the 183 HIV-1/HCV coinfected samples from Kaiyuan prefecture were from men who were of Han ethnicity, unemployed and single and who had an education level of secondary school (Table 1)
As the p17 fragments of CRF07_BC and CRF08_ BC is subtype C, the results showed that HCV 3b (45.4%) and HIV-1 CRF08_BC (66.1%) were the most predominant subtypes among HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users from Kaiyuan prefecture
Summary
As the transmission routes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are similar, previous studies based on separate research on HIV-1 and HCV assumed a similar transmission pattern. At the end of 2019, the total numbers of people living with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) worldwide were estimated to be 38 and 71 million, respectively (http://www.who.int). As both HIV-1 and HCV can transmit through blood, sexual contact and mother to child, HIV-1/HCV coinfection is common worldwide. Different HCV subtypes had diverse transmission routes, such as subtypes 3b, 6n, and 6u originating from Yunnan and Guangxi and subtypes 2a and 6a originating from southern China (e.g., Guangdong), which further spread to Jiangsu [10]. A previous study identified the origin and transmission patterns of HIV-1 and HCV in former blood donor (FBD) patients with coinfections. Our study documented that eight HCV subtypes and nine HIV-1 subtypes were found among HIV-1/HCV coinfected drug users and that there was a possible association in transmission patterns between HIV-1 and HCV
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