Genetic diversity of HIV type 1 in Likasi, southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
To investigate the prevalence of subtypes A and C, and the existence of recombinants of both subtypes in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), blood samples were collected from 27 HIV-infected individuals in Likasi, located in an area bordering close to Zambia, and analyzed phylogenetically. Out of the 24 strains with a positive PCR profile for pol-IN and env-C2V3, 15 (62.5%) had a discordant subtype or CRF designation: one subtype A/G (pol/env), four A/U (unclassified), three G/A, one G/CRF01, three H/A, one J/C, one CRF02 (G)/A, and one U/A. Nine (37.5%) strains had a concordant subtype or CRF designation: five subtype A, two C, one D, and one CRF02/G. The remaining three samples negative for PCR with env-C2V3 primers used in this study were further analyzed with env-gp41 primers and revealed the presence of two profiles: two J/J (pol-IN/env-gp41) and one C/G. These data highlight the presence of a high proportion (16/27, 59.3%) of recombinant strains and a low prevalence (4.1 and 7.4%) of subtype C based on env-C2V3 and pol-IN analyses, respectively, in Likasi. In addition, this is the first report that CRF02_AG exists in DRC, though the epidemiological significance of the existence of CRF02_AG in DRC remains unknown.
Kita
Kayoko
K
Department of Viral Infection and International Health, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 920-8640, Japan.
Ndembi
Nicaise
N
Ekwalanga
Michel
M
Ido
Eiji
E
Kazadi
Rigobert
R
Bikandou
Blaise
B
Takehisa
Jun
J
Takemura
Taichiro
T
Kageyama
Seiji
S
Tanaka
Junji
J
Parra
Henri Joseph
HJ
Hayami
Masanori
M
Ichimura
Hiroshi
H
D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo / Q000453:epidemiology; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny
D015686:Gene Products, env; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120