Introduction of HIV type 1 non-B subtypes into Eastern Andalusia through immigration.
A study of the distribution of HIV-1 subtypes in the native and immigrant populations of Eastern Andalusia (Southern Spain) was conducted to determine any changes between 1983 and 2001 and to identify antiretroviral resistance mutations in non-B subtype strains among the immigrant population. The study included 111 native patients from Eastern Andalusia: 94 infected with HIV before 1996 and 17 infected since 1996. A parallel study was conducted on 26 HIV-positive immigrants from Africa. Subtyping was done with the heteroduplex mobility assay. Resistance mutations were determined by line probe assay. A total of 137 patients were studied: 9.2% had subtype A (n = 12), 80.8% subtype B (n = 105), and 1.5% subtype C (n = 2). Among the Eastern Andalusia population infected before 1996, 10.9% had non-B subtypes, compared with 23.5% of those infected after that year. The greatest percentage of non-B subtypes (52.4%) was found among the immigrant population. Resistance mutation K70R was detected in one of the six immigrants with non-B subtype and M41L in another. There has been a slight increase in the diversity of HIV-1 subtypes in Eastern Andalusia over the past few years, possibly influenced by non-B subtypes introduced by immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa.
Alvarez
Marta
M
Department of Microbiology, University Hospital, San Cecilio, Granada, Spain.
García
Federico
F
Martínez
Nora Mariela
NM
García
Fernando
F
Bernal
Carmen
C
Vela
Carmen Maroto
CM
Angulo
Gonzalo Piédrola
GP
Quero
José Hernández
JH
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D015752:Genes, env; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D011159:Population Surveillance; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D004279:DNA, Viral