A study of HIV-1 genetic diversity in the Czech Republic: 1986-2007.
BACKGROUND
The global HIV/AIDS epidemic consists of a number of regional epidemics caused by different HIV-1 subtypes prevailing in different regions.


OBJECTIVE
To study changes in genetic diversity of HIV-1 strains isolated in the Czech Republic (CR) over a more than twenty-year period (1986-2007).


METHODS
HIV-1 strains isolated in CR from 1986 to 2007 were subtyped by pol gene sequencing followed by phylogenetic analysis. The role of HIV-1 subtyping in molecular epidemiology was considered.


RESULTS
Awide range of HIV-1 subtypes were found, with subtype B, into which 76.6% of 534 HIV-1 isolates were classified, being predominant during the whole study period. An increasing number of non-B subtypes A1, C, D, F1, G and some recombinant forms (CRF 01_AE, CRF 02_AG and CRF 06_cpx) were identified after 1990.


CONCLUSIONS
The absolute predominance of subtype B among HIV-1 strains in the Czech Republic ended in 1991 when different non-B subtypes had been introduced into the country. The East-West migration is responsible for the introduction of HIV-1 subtypes prevalent in Eastern European and some Asian countries. Genetic analysis of HIV-1 isolates from a given region can be helpful in tracing the course of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Linka
Marek
M
National Reference Laboratory on AIDS, National Institute of Public Health, SrobBrova 48, 100 42 Prague 10, Czech Republic. mlinka@szu.cz
Brůcková
Marie
M
Malý
Marek
M
Vandasová
Jana
J
Stanková
Marie
M
Reinis
Milan
M
D001483:Base Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D015751:Genes, pol / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation / Q000235:genetics*; D016679:Genome, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000635:transmission; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010641:Phenotype; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012367:RNA, Viral