title: Predominance of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 subtype B in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
abstract: We analyzed the genetic variability and phylogenetic relationships among 28 HIV-2 strains collected from patients enrolled in an HIV epidemiologic study in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, during 1995-1996. Although both subtype A (n = 8; 29%) and subtype B (n = 20; 71%) were present in this sampling, the majority of infections were caused by subtype B viruses. These findings contrasted with the reported predominance of HIV-2 subtype A in other African countries. The broad genetic diversity identified among protease gene sequences for HIV-2 subtype A (6%; range 3-15%) and subtype B (7%; range, 2-12%), and their presence in Abidjan during the 1980s, document a long coexistence of two viral subtypes in Ivory Coast. Our data indicate that viruses of subtypes A and B have contributed to the HIV-2 epidemic in Ivory Coast.
authors.affiliation: Division of AIDS, STD, and TB Laboratory Research, National Centers for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. dxp1@cdc.gov
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pieniazek
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ellenberger
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Janini
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nkengasong
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sassan-Morokro
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Coulibally
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ekpini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bandea
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanuri
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: S Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Wiktor
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rayfield
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015750:Genes, gag; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged