HIV-1 subtypes in Luxembourg, 1983-2000.
OBJECTIVE
To study the prevalence of HIV-1 subtypes in Luxembourg between 1983 and 2000. To compare the drug susceptibility of non-B and B clade viruses and the prevalence of resistance-associated mutations and polymorphisms before antiretroviral treatment.


METHODS
A retrospective study on plasma samples of HIV-infected patients registered at the National Service of Infectious Diseases, Luxembourg, between 1983 and 2000.


METHODS
Genotyping was performed by sequencing of the reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease coding region of the pol gene. Drug susceptibility was assessed in a recombinant virus assay.


RESULTS
A total of 20.1% of the HIV-positive patients were infected with non-B subtypes, and since 1990 the proportion of non-B viruses has increased ninefold. Eleven out of 14 F1 subtypes occurred in patients native to Luxembourg. Major resistance mutations related to protease inhibitors (PI), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) occurred in less than 3% of treatment-naive viruses; however, 87% of the viruses had at least one PI-associated mutation. Natural polymorphism of the protease and RT coding region was observed more frequently among non-B than B viruses. Significantly more B viruses displayed resistance to the tested PI, NRTI and NNRTI (P = 0.044).


CONCLUSIONS
The proportion of non-B viruses has increased dramatically since 1990. Non-B subtypes showed no decreased susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs, but displayed minor mutations and polymorphisms at higher frequency in their protease and RT coding region. In contrast, a significantly higher proportion of B viruses showed resistance to a range of antiretroviral drugs.
Deroo
Sabrina
S
Laboratoire de Rétrovirologie, Centre de Recherche Public-Santé, 4 rue Barblé, L-1210 Luxembourg, Luxembourg. deroo.s@retrovirology.lu
Robert
Isabelle
I
Fontaine
Elodie
E
Lambert
Christine
C
Plesséria
Jean-Marc
JM
Arendt
Vic
V
Staub
Thérèse
T
Hemmer
Robert
R
Schneider
François
F
Schmit
Jean-Claude
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D016333:HIV Protease / Q000235:genetics; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000235:genetics; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008189:Luxembourg / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D016333:HIV Protease