title: High genetic diversity in human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 in Jamaica.
abstract: The subtypes of the human immunodeficiency virus - type 1 (HIV-1) strains from 54 HIV-1 - infected persons including 44 strains which were typed previously by heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) were determined by DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Of 54 HIV- infected persons, 92.5% were infected with HIV-1 subtype B and 7.5% with other HIV-1 subtypes including subtypes D (3.7%), A (1.9%) and J (1.9%). In the phylogenetic analysis, the subtype A virus found in the sample clustered with subtype A reference strains and a circulating recombinant form (CRF) reference strain which originates in Central Africa and is circulating in Cuba indicating a close relationship between these viruses. There was 86% concordance between HMA and DNA sequencing in assigning subtype B viruses. For the non-B subtype viruses, there was less concordance between the two methods (67%). The results confirm the predominance of HIV-1 subtype B strains and the high genetic diversity of HIV-1 strains in circulation in Jamaica. The efficacies and some limitations of the HMA as a method of HIV-1 subtyping also were noted. It is important that the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Jamaica be monitored meticulously for possible expansions in non-B subtypes and the emergence of inter-subtype recombinant forms. We recommend that the more expensive DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, including HIV-1 genotyping for antiretroviral drug resistance testing, be used as an adjunct to the more cost-effective HMA to track the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Jamaica.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica, West Indies. glenheslop@yahoo.com
authors.forename: O D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Heslop
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Smikle
authors.forename: I E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Vickers
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: C D C
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Christie
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bain
authors.forename: E N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D020180:Heteroduplex Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica; D010802:Phylogeny; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D054299:env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus; D054301:gag Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus