High prevalence of genetically similar HIV-1 recombinants among infected sex workers in Nairobi, Kenya.
HIV-1, a highly diverse infectious agent, shows the greatest sequence diversity in highly exposed individuals, including greater levels of recombination. HIV-1 diversity in Nairobi, Kenya was examined in 240 individuals, including both those with high and low exposure to HIV. Sequence analysis of a 590 nucleotide proviral region encompassing vpu and part of env revealed that most viruses were clade A1 (70%), while both clade D (9%) and clade C (6%) virus were also observed, as was recombinant virus (15%). Participation in sex work was significantly associated with clade: these subjects had a lower likelihood of infection with clade C virus and a higher likelihood of infection with a recombinant isolate (p = 0.038). Interestingly, most of the recombinants formed distinct groups based on shared recombination breakpoints between common clades (n = 33/37). This study shows the value of continued HIV sequence analysis to examine and monitor viral genetic variability.
Land
Allison M
AM
Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Luo
Ma
M
Pilon
Richard
R
Sandstrom
Paul
P
Embree
Joanne
J
Wachihi
Charles
C
Kimani
Joshua
J
Plummer
Francis A
FA
Ball
T Blake
TB
D000328:Adult; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011533:Proviruses / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D011477:Sex Work; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
D004279:DNA, Viral; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; C514859:vpu protein, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins