title: Diagnosis and monitoring of HIV-1 group O-infected patients in Cameroun.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To define a routine algorithm for the specific diagnosis and complete follow-up of HIV-1 group O (HIV-O) infections in Cameroun.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 18 months, samples referred to Centre Pasteur du Cameroun for HIV testing or viral monitoring were screened for HIV-O infection with an in-house serotyping assay. HIV-O viral load was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction in the LTR gene and resistance genotyping was performed on pol and env sequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 7030 samples tested, 78 HIV-O infections (1.1%) were identified, including 7 M and O dually seroreactive samples (9%). All treatment-naive patients and 59% of the patients receiving HAART had detectable viral loads. Analysis of pol sequences from 15 treatment-naive patients revealed a high number of polymorphisms in the protease region, with natural residues implicated in genotypic resistance to tipranavir and saquinavir for HIV-1 group M according to the Agence Nationale de Recherches sur le Sida et les Hépatites virales algorithm. Six patients (40%) harbored the 181C mutation conferring natural resistance to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Among antiretroviral-treated patients, major resistance mutations described for HIV-1 group M were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV-O prevalence remains relatively low in Cameroun. The cocirculation of groups M and O in this country leads to replicative dual infections. HIV-O-infected patients in this region can now benefit from effective and specific tools for a complete monitoring of infection. However, further studies are needed to understand long-term response to antiretrovirals of these complex variants.
authors.affiliation: Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, Yaoundé, Cameroun.
authors.forename: Aurélia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vessière
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rousset
authors.forename: Anfumbom
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kfutwah
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leoz
authors.forename: Agnès
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Depatureaux
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Jean-Christophe
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Plantier
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000187:drug effects; D015752:Genes, env / Q000235:genetics; D015751:Genes, pol / Q000235:genetics; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011725:Pyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011753:Pyrones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019258:Saquinavir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013449:Sulfonamides; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; D011753:Pyrones; D013449:Sulfonamides; D019258:Saquinavir; C107201:tipranavir