Frequency of HIV type 1 dual infection and HIV diversity: analysis of low- and high-risk populations in Mbeya Region, Tanzania.
HIV-1 diversity, frequency of recombinants, and dual infection were determined in two populations with different HIV risk behavior. A high-risk cohort of 600 female bar workers and a normal-risk population of 1,108 antenatal clinic attendees and blood donors were recruited. Behavioral data were assessed and blood for HIV- 1 diagnosis and genotyping was sampled. HIV-1 subtypes were defined through the multiregion hybridization assay (MHA(acd)). HIV-1 prevalence differed significantly among the two populations. The prevalence was 67.8% in the population of bar workers and 17% in the normal-risk population (antenatal care attendees and blood donors). Within the normal-risk population the HIV-1 prevalence was lowest in the group of volunteer blood donors. The frequency of HIV-1 infection in women was 1.7 times higher than in men. The overall subtype distribution was A (8.5%), C (40.8%), D (3.8%), AC (25.4%), AD (5.4%), CD (8.8%), and ACD (7.3%). In the high-risk population there was a higher percentage of HIV-1 recombinant strains (54% vs. 40%, p < 0.05) and a higher frequency of dual infections (19% vs. 9%, p < 0.02) compared to the normal-risk population. High-risk populations may play an important role in the evolution of HIV, as they can provide an opportunity for the virus to coinfect, recombine, and adapt to the host-specific genetic background.
Herbinger
Karl-Heinz
KH
Department of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
Gerhardt
Martina
M
Piyasirisilp
Sucheep
S
Mloka
Doreen
D
Arroyo
Miguel A
MA
Hoffmann
Oliver
O
Maboko
Leonard
L
Birx
Deborah L
DL
Mmbando
Donan
D
McCutchan
Francine E
FE
Hoelscher
Michael
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000821:virology; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013636:Tanzania; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D004279:DNA, Viral