title: First molecular characterization of HIV-1 Tunisian strains.
abstract: In order to identify HIV-1 subtypes circulating in Tunisia, blood specimens from 25 HIV-1 infected Tunisian patients were collected. Proviral HIV-1 DNA was genotyped by sequence analysis of the C2-V3 env region. HIV-1 subtypes were determined in 21 DNA sequences: 20 were of subtype B and one was a circulating recombinant form (CRF02 AG). Subtype B largely dominates the epidemiology of HIV-1 infection in Tunisia, suggesting the probable imported origin of HIV-1 infection, but further studies are needed to investigate the potential diversification of HIV-1 isolates in Tunisia.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle de Tunis, Tunisia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ben Halima
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pasquier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slim
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ben Chaabane
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Arrouji
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Puel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ben Redjeb
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Izopet
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral