Molecular characterization of human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected individuals from bolivia reveals the presence of two distinct genetic subtypes B and F.
Thirty HIV-1-positive samples from Bolivia were genetically characterized on the basis of HMA and DNA sequencing, revealing the presence of B and F subtypes, in accordance with the molecular epidemiology pattern already described for other South American countries such as Brazil and Argentina. The interpatient divergence of subtype B Bolivian specimens was on average 14.2% (4.3-19.8%) at the nucleotide level, whereas the two unlinked subtype F samples (BO23 and BO29) were only 8.2% divergent, suggesting a more recent introduction of this subtype in the country. In our study group, which represents 13% of the HIV/AIDS cases already described in Bolivia as of May 1996, the transmission occurred more frequently through heterosexual exposures (46.7%), followed by homosexual (23.3%), bisexual (10%), intravenous drug use (3.3%), and vertical (3.3%); in one case the potential exposure category could not be defined (3.3%). No association could be established between exposure categories, gender, or clinical classification and subtype distribution in the Bolivian HIV/AIDS patients.
Velarde-Dunois
K G
KG
Department of Immunology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Guimarães
M L
ML
La Fuente
C
C
Andrade
R
R
Arévalo
R
R
Pantoja
S
S
Mariscal
R
R
Sandoval
R
R
Iriarte
F
F
Chamón
V
V
Melgar
M L
ML
Carvajal
R
R
Morgado
M G
MG
D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001838:Bolivia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D020180:Heteroduplex Analysis; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D004279:DNA, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D010446:Peptide Fragments