title: The molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 among male sex workers in northern Thailand.
abstract: Male commercial sex workers (CSWs) in northern Thailand are at high risk for HIV-1 infection and may be exposed to multiple subtypes of HIV-1 through sexual contact with men and women from Thailand, other Asian nations, and the West. We studied 103 male Thai nationals working in gay bars and clubs in Chiang Mai city who participated in the 1994 sentinel surveillance of the Thai Ministry of Public Health using HIV serologic testing, DNA polymerase chain reaction methods, molecular cloning, differential colony hybridization, nucleotide sequencing, and a third hypervariable region (V3) peptide enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay to differentiate subjects infected with HIV-1 subtypes B, E, both, or neither. The majority (58%) reported heterosexual orientation, and 35 (34%) were married. Seventeen (16.5%) were HIV infected: 16 (94%) of 17 had HIV-1 subtype E; 1 had HIV-1 subtype B. Two subjects had dually reactive results by molecular techniques but colony hybridization sequencing revealed only HIV-1 subtype E. HIV-1 subtype E appears to be the predominant clade among male CSWs in northern Thailand. This may have important implications for the global kinetics of the HIV epidemic.
authors.affiliation: The Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beyrer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Artenstein
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kunawararak
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: VanCott
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rungreungthanakit
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hegerich
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Khamboonruang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Natpratan
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011477:Sex Work; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology