[Relationship between epidemiology of HIV-1 infection and HIV-1 subtypes in Fujian province].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship of AIDS epidemic and HIV-1 subtype in Fujian province of China based on molecular findings.


METHODS
HIV-1 infected persons and patient with AIDS (HIV/AIDS) were identified by AIDS surveillance project in the province. AIDS epidemic situation was estimated by related data collected from the HIV/AIDS cases. HIV-1 C2-V3 region amplified from the PBMC DNA of HIV/AIDS cases was analysed by nucleotide sequencing to identified HIV-1 subtype.


RESULTS
One hundred and eighty-eight cases of HIV/AIDS were found from 1987 to the end of 2000. Among 59 AIDS cases, 53 had died. HIV infection through heterosexual contacts took up 65.4%, including 44.1% of them infected abroad. Out of them, 83.1% were infected in Southeast Asia. Thirty-nine point nine percentage of the total HIV(+) were infected in China, while 9.0% were infected through blood transmission. Sequence analysis from 41 specimens showed that there were 4 kinds of HIV-1 subtypes, including A, B, C and E. Subtype E took up 75.6% (31/41), all infected by heterosexual contacts; subtype B taking up 17.1% (7/41) with most of them infected through blood transmission; subtype A and C were seen only 1 and 2 cases respectively. Gene divergence of innergroup of subtypes E was 12.245% +/- 3.894%, while subtype B was 10.762% +/- 2.707%. The high divergence of subtype E could be attributed to the region and time of infection.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV prevalent rate has been increasing in Fujian with major transmission route of heterosexual contact. The dominant strain of HIV-1 was subtype E.
Yan
Y
Y
Fujian Provincial Epidemic and Prevention Station, Fuzhou 350001, China.
Weng
Y
Y
Chen
G
G
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012725:Sexual Behavior
D012367:RNA, Viral