title: Determination of HIV-1 Subtypes in Hungary by Synthetic Peptides Representing the V3 Loop of env.
abstract: For the determination of HIV-1 diversity and serotyping of HIV-1 subtypes, an enzyme immunoassay was developed based on synthetic peptides representing immunodominant epitopes of the V3 loop of HIV-1 subtypes A, B, C and E, respectively. Sera from 53 asymptomatic HIV-1 infected individuals were tested for their pattern of binding reactivity to the synthetic peptides. 45/52 (85%) of the sera reacted exclusively to V3 peptide representing HIV-1 B subtypes, 4/52 (7.6%) of the sera showed cross reacticity to A/B peptides and 1/52 (1.9%) of the sera reacted with both A and C peptides. No single reactivity with subtype A or E peptides have been observed. Results together with nucleotide sequence analysis of the V3 region of clinical isolates suggest that HIV-1 infection in Hungary has been induced predominantly by strains belonging to HIV-1 subtype B.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Dermato-Venereology, Department of AIDS and Human Retroviruses, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Károly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nagy
authors.forename: Éva
authors.lastname: Barabás É
authors.forename: Viktória
authors.lastname: Várkonyi
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Horváth