title: HIV-1 variants in South and South-East Asia.
abstract: HIV spread in South and South-East Asia is most alarming, and genetic variability of HIV-1 is an important consideration in vaccine development. In this study, we examined the third variable (V3) region of env gene of HIV-1 variants prevalent in Thailand, Malaysia, India, and the Philippines. By phylogenetic tree analyses, an HIV-1 variant from an injecting drug user (IDU) in Thailand belonged to subtype B, and HIV-1 variants from 2 IDUs in Malaysia were classified into 2 subtypes, B and E. One HIV-1 variant from a male homosexual in the Philippines belonged to subtype B. Out of 8 HIV-1 variants from sexually transmitted disease patients in India, 7 belonged to subtype C, and one to subtype A. Although the total number of individuals examined in this study was limited, 4 HIV-1 subtypes were found in South and South-East Asia and large international movements of HIV-1-infected individuals in this region could induce global dissemination of these HIV-1 variants.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Japan.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuchie
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Saraswathy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinniah
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vijayamalar
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Maniar
authors.forename: O T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Monzon
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Paladin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wasi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thongcharoen
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D005260:Female; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010679:Philippines / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D011477:Sex Work; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology