Molecular analysis and phylogenetic characterization of HIV in Iran.
The rate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in Iran has increased dramatically in the last few years. While the earliest cases were found in hemophiliacs, intravenous drug users are now fueling the outbreak. In this study, both the 122 clones of HIV-1 gag p17 and the 131 clones of env V1-V5 region were obtained from 61 HIV-1 seropositives belonging to these two groups in Iran. HIV-1 subtyping and phylogenetic analysis was done by heteroduplex mobility assays (HMA) and multiple clone sequencing. The result indicated all hemophiliacs are infected with HIV-1 subtype B and all intravenous drug users are infected with HIV-1 subtype A. Since intravenous drug abuse is the major transmission route in Iran, HIV-1 subtype A is likely to be the dominant viral subtype circulating in the country. The analysis of genetic distances showed subtype B viruses in Iran to be twice as heterogeneous as the subtype A viruses. In conclusion, this first molecular study of HIV-1 genotypes in Iran suggests two parallel outbreaks in distinct high-risk populations and may offer clues to the origin and spread of infection in Iran.
Sarrami-Forooshani
Ramin
R
Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
Das
Suman Ranjan
SR
Sabahi
Farzaneh
F
Adeli
Ahmad
A
Esmaeili
Rezvan
R
Wahren
Britta
B
Mohraz
Minoo
M
Haji-Abdolbaghi
Mahboubeh
M
Rasoolinejad
Mehrnaz
M
Jameel
Shahid
S
Mahboudi
Fereidoun
F
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D015683:Gene Products, gag / Q000235:genetics; D015752:Genes, env; D015750:Genes, gag; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
D015683:Gene Products, gag; D015488:HIV Antigens; D014764:Viral Proteins; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C054858:p17 protein, Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1