title: Two HIV-1 epidemics in Argentina: different genetic subtypes associated with different risk groups.
abstract: This study determined the risk behaviors and viral subtypes of HIV-1 found in 134 heterosexual HIV-seroprevalent maternity patients, 41 of their sexual partners (men who have sex with women [MSW]), and 95 homosexual men (men who have sex with men [MSM]) from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were purified from blood and used for DNA extraction, amplification, and genotyping by the envelope heteroduplex mobility assay (env HMA). Most of the women had been infected by having sex with an already infected partner (84%), whereas most of the male partners had been infected via drug use (76%). Both the patients and their sexual partners were poorly educated, only 30% having completed secondary school. The MSM study subjects, however, were significantly better educated and had a lower prevalence of injecting drug use.Env HMA subtype F was found in 77% (103 of 134) of the maternity patients, with similar rates in their partners (73%). Most of the remaining samples were env subtype B. All but one of the couples was concordant in subtype. In the MSM risk group, however, only 10% were env HMA subtype F. Ninety percent of the MSM samples were subtype B. There are at least two independent epidemics of HIV-1 infection in Buenos Aires, Argentina. One, in heterosexual men and women, is dominated by env subtype F whereas the other, in homosexual men, is dominated by env subtype B, as determined by env HMA.
authors.affiliation: National Reference Center for AIDS, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: María M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: María A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pando
authors.forename: Gladys
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carrion
authors.forename: Liliana Martinez
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Salomon
authors.forename: Manuel Gomez
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Carrillo
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanchez
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maulen
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hierholzer
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marinello
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Negrete
authors.forename: Kevin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: Jean K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Carr
mesh_terms: D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D015752:Genes, env / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D020180:Heteroduplex Analysis; D020010:Heterosexuality; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology