First molecular characterization of HIV-1 Tunisian strains.
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.
Ben Halima
M
M
Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Hôpital Charles Nicolle de Tunis, Tunisia.
Pasquier
C
C
Slim
A
A
Ben Chaabane
T
T
Arrouji
Z
Z
Puel
J
J
Ben Redjeb
S
S
Izopet
J
J
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics; D014416:Tunisia
D004279:DNA, Viral