Abstract
BackgroundGenetic variability is a major feature of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and considered the key factor to frustrating efforts to halt the virus epidemic. In this study, we aimed to investigate the genetic variability of HIV-1 strains among children and adolescents born from 1992 to 2009 in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil.MethodologyPlasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were collected from 51 HIV-1-positive children and adolescents on ART followed between September 1992 and July 2009. After extraction, the genetic materials were used in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify the viral near full length genomes (NFLGs) from 5 overlapped fragments. NFLGs and partial amplicons were directly sequenced and data were phylogenetically inferred.ResultsOf the 51 samples studied, the NFLGs and partial fragments of HIV-1 from 42 PBMCs and 25 plasma were successfully subtyped. Results based on proviral DNA revealed that 22 (52.4%) patients were infected with subtype B, 16 (38.1%) were infected with BF1 mosaic variants and 4 (9.5%) were infected with sub-subtype F1. All the BF1 recombinants were unique and distinct from any previously identified unique or circulating recombinant forms in South America. Evidence of dual infections was detected in 3 patients coinfected with the same or distinct HIV-1 subtypes. Ten of the 31 (32.2%) and 12 of the 21 (57.1%) subjects with recovered proviral and plasma, respectively, protease sequences were infected with major mutants resistant to protease inhibitors. The V3 sequences of 14 patients with available sequences from PBMC/or plasma were predicted to be R5-tropic virus except for two patients who harbored an X4 strain.ConclusionsThe high proportion of HIV-1 BF1 recombinant, coinfection rate and vertical transmission in Brazil merits urgent attention and effective measures to reduce the transmission of HIV among spouses and sex partners.
Highlights
IntroductionSince the beginning of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, until the end of 2010, over 3 million children under 15 years of age have been infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and 390,000 new viral infections each year (most recent data from UNAIDS/WHO; http://www.who.int/ hiv/pub/progress_report2011/hiv_full_report_2011) have been reported
Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, until the end of 2010, over 3 million children under 15 years of age have been infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and 390,000 new viral infections each year have been reported
The high proportion of HIV-1 BF1 recombinant, coinfection rate and vertical transmission in Brazil merits urgent attention and effective measures to reduce the transmission of HIV among spouses and sex partners
Summary
Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, until the end of 2010, over 3 million children under 15 years of age have been infected with HIV-1 and 390,000 new viral infections each year (most recent data from UNAIDS/WHO; http://www.who.int/ hiv/pub/progress_report2011/hiv_full_report_2011) have been reported. Up until 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that perinatal transmission of the infection by the mother accounts for 91% of all AIDS cases among children under the age of 13 While mother to child transmission (MTCT) has been drastically reduced (1–2%) in rich countries, pregnant women living with HIV in poorer countries still have limited access to the same quality of counseling and antiretroviral therapy (ART) [1]. These women are at higher risk of transmitting the virus to their offspring during pregnancy, labor or after childbirth via breastfeeding. We aimed to investigate the genetic variability of HIV-1 strains among children and adolescents born from 1992 to 2009 in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil
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