Correlativity of subtype B viral transmission among elderly HIV-1 infected individuals in Yongding district, Zhangjiajie city, Hunan province

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of transmission correlativity regarding subtype B among elderly HIV-1 infected individuals in Yongding district, Zhangjiajie city, Hunan province and to explore a method on its traceability. Methods: A total of 43 newly diagnosed elderly HIV-1 Infected individuals in Yongding district were enrolled in this study. Pol area genes were amplified and sequenced by 'In house' method. Methods used to analyze the relationship related to HIV individuals transmission would include Bayesian phylogenetic tree and other epidemiological ones. Results: A total of 42 valid sequences were successfully obtained, with predominant strain as subtype B (80.95%, 34/42). All the 42 sequences were gathered into eight clusters. In each cluster, the genetic distance was significantly shorter than the average from the 34 subtype B strains (0.058 3). The HIV-1 infected individuals in one cluster had the same high-risk behaviors and the significantly patchy distributions were identified at the sites where the high-risk behaviors existed. Our results indicated that the local elderly HIV-infected individuals had high level of homology between geographical position and related behaviors. Conclusions: The patchy distribution between geographical position and behavior was associated among the elderly HIV-1 infected individuals. Guidance related to epidemic precise positioning and effective interventions was provided through the findings of this study.