Abstract
BackgroundHIV-1 superinfection occurs at varying frequencies in different at risk populations. Though seroincidence is decreased, in the negative partner of HIV-discordant couples after joint testing and counseling in the Zambia Emory HIV Research Project (ZEHRP) cohort, the annual infection rate remains relatively high at 7-8%. Based on sequencing within the gp41 region of each partner's virus, 24% of new infections between 2004 and 2008 were the result of transmission from a non-spousal partner. Since these seroconvertors and their spouses have disparate epidemiologically-unlinked viruses, there is a risk of superinfection within the marriage. We have, therefore, investigated the incidence and viral origin of superinfection in these couples.ResultsSuperinfection was detected by heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA), degenerate base counting of the gp41 sequence, or by phylogenetic analysis of the longitudinal sequences. It was confirmed by full-length env single genome amplification and phylogenetic analysis. In 22 couples (44 individuals), followed for up to five years, three of the newly infected (initially HIV uninfected) partners became superinfected. In each case superinfection occurred during the first 12 months following initial infection of the negative partner, and in each case the superinfecting virus was derived from a non-spousal partner. In addition, one probable case of intra-couple HIV-1 superinfection was observed in a chronically infected partner at the time of his seroconverting spouse's initial viremia. Extensive recombination within the env gene was observed following superinfection.ConclusionsIn this subtype-C discordant couple cohort, superinfection, during the first year after HIV-1 infection of the previously negative partner, occurred at a rate similar to primary infection (13.6% [95% CI 5.2-34.8] vs 7.8% [7.1-8.6]). While limited intra-couple superinfection may in part reflect continued condom usage within couples, this and our lack of detecting newly superinfected individuals after one year of primary infection raise the possibility that immunological resistance to intra-subtype superinfection may develop over time in subtype C infected individuals.
Highlights
HIV-1 superinfection occurs at varying frequencies in different at risk populations
Selection of the study couples Two hundred and two HIV-1 discordant couples who seroconverted to concordant infected status from 2002-2008 in the Zambia Emory HIV Research Project (ZEHRP) cohort were screened for epidemiologic linkage as described previously [41]
Three approaches were employed: 1) quantitation of degenerate bases in viral population sequences of the genomic regions encoding the ectodomain of gp41 and gag, 2) phylogenetic tree and Highlighter tool analyses of these sequences, and 3) heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) of gp41 amplicons
Summary
HIV-1 superinfection occurs at varying frequencies in different at risk populations. Based on sequencing within the gp region of each partner’s virus, 24% of new infections between 2004 and 2008 were the result of transmission from a non-spousal partner. Since these seroconvertors and their spouses have disparate epidemiologically-unlinked viruses, there is a risk of superinfection within the marriage. Superinfection is defined as a reinfection by a heterologous HIV-1 strain after a primary immune response has already been mounted [2]. Superinfection and coinfection (primary infection with two genetically distinct viruses) differ based on whether the second infection is contracted prior to or after the host immune response has been mounted [3]. Several other cases have been reported, demonstrating a spectrum of intersubtype [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12], intergroup [13] and intrasubtype [14,15,16,17] superinfections.
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