On-going generation of multiple forms of HIV-1 intersubtype recombinants in the Yunnan Province of China.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the molecular epidemiology of HIV in China's Yunnan Province, where the initial HIV-1 outbreak among injecting drug users (IDU) occurred in 1989, and to analyse the genesis and interrelationship of the epidemic with that in surrounding areas.


METHODS
A molecular epidemiological investigation was conducted among IDU in three prefectures in Yunnan Province, including Wenshan (east), Honghe (southeast) and Dehong (west).


METHODS
Thirty-nine specimens were collected from consenting IDU in 2000-2001. The nucleotide sequences of 2.6 kb gag-RT and 340 base pair (bp) env (C2/V3) regions were determined. Phylogenetic tree and recombination breakpoint analyses were performed.


RESULTS
The circulating recombinant form (CRF), CRF08_BC, predominated in east Yunnan near Guangxi Province (89% in Wenshan and 81% in Honghe), whereas it was not detected in Dehong (0/14) in the west. In contrast, 71% (10/14) of the Dehong isolates were unique recombinant forms (URF), mostly between subtypes B' (Thailand variant of subtype B) and C, with distinct profiles of recombination breakpoints. The subtype B' accounts for the remaining 29% (4/14) of Dehong isolates. Interestingly, two Honghe isolates (2/16) shared some of the precise B'/C recombination breakpoints with CRF07_BC.


CONCLUSIONS
New recombinant strains are arising continually in west Yunnan near the Myanmar border. Some appeared to be secondary recombinants derived from CRF07_BC that had further recombined with other strains. The uneven distribution of subtypes, CRF and URF, suggests the presence of independent transmission networks and clusters among IDU in Yunnan.
Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Epidemiology, AIDS Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama 1-23-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan.
Rongge
R
Yang
Xueshan
X
Xia
Shigeru
S
Kusagawa
Chiyu
C
Zhang
Kunlong
K
Ben
Yutaka
Y
Takebe
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology
D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D010446:Peptide Fragments