title: New HIV type 1 CRF01_AE/B recombinants displaying unique distribution of breakpoints from incident infections among injecting drug users in Thailand.
abstract: The goals of this study were to identify and characterize recombinant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genomes among incident infections in a prospective cohort study of injecting drug users (IDUs) in Bangkok, Thailand. Through cross-sectional, comparative phylogenetic analysis of the protease and env (C2-V4) gene regions, subtype discordance was observed in HIV-1 sequences from 4 of 111 IDUs (3.5%). Near-full-length HIV-1 genome sequences of the four strains revealed that in all four, the gp120 sequences clustered with a CRF01_AE prototype, while the remainder of the genomes displayed distinct mosaic patterns, with multiple breakpoints between HIV-1 CRF01_AE and subtype B-like regions. Two of the four HIV-1 recombinant strains displayed a nearly identical mosaic structure, suggesting the possible emergence and spread of a potentially new circulating recombinant form of HIV-1. Further characterization of these and other recombinant genomes through long-term follow-up will be important in understanding the generation of viral diversity and escape from the hosts immune responses. This information will be especially important for vaccine development.
mesh_terms: D016679:Genome, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120