title: HIV-1 CRF09_cpx circulates in the North West Province of Cameroon where CRF02_AG infections predominate and recombinant strains are common.
abstract: This study describes the HIV-1 genetic diversity that currently circulates in Bamenda, the provincial capital of the North West province of Cameroon. Phylogenetic analysis of the protease (pro) gene of 20 HIV-1-seropositive individuals identified 11 (55%) CRF02_AG, one D, one F2, one J, and four (20%) unclassifiable strains. Interestingly, the remaining two (10%) samples, 02CMNYU3072 and 03CMNYU3224, originating from epidemiologically unlinked individuals, were classified as CRF09_cpx, representing the first reported cases of this complex circulating recombinant form (CRF) in Cameroon. Additional analysis of the C2V5 portion of the envelope (env) gene confirmed the CRF09_cpx identity of these isolates and classified the remaining isolates as CRF02_AG (n = 12, 63%), subtype D (n = 2, 11%), subtype F2 (n = 2, 11%), and subtype A1 (n = 1). In combination, the pro and env subtyping results revealed three (16%) isolates with discordant subtypes including J( pro )CRF02_AG( env ), CRF02_AG( pro )D( env ), and CRF02_AG( pro )F2( env ). In conclusion, this study highlights the presence of HIV-1 CRF09_cpx in Cameroon and identifies three possible intersubtype recombinants (ISRs) containing CRF02_AG in a town where CRF02_AG infections predominate, and stresses the commonness of HIV-1 recombinant strains in a region where broad genetic diversity exists.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Sherri T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Burda
authors.forename: Frank A J
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Konings
authors.forename: Constance A U
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Anyangwe
authors.forename: Phillipe N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Nyambi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015752:Genes, env; D015750:Genes, gag; D015751:Genes, pol; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic