title: Short communication decreased incidence of dual infections in South african subtype C-infected women compared to a cohort ten years earlier.
abstract: Previously, we determined the incidence of dual infections in a South African cohort and its association with higher viral setpoint. Ten years later, we compare the incidence and impact of dual infections at transmission on viral setpoint in a geographically similar cohort (n = 46) making use of both the heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) and the more recent single genome amplification (SGA) approach. HIV incidence was lower in this cohort (7% compared to 18%), and we find a similar reduction in the number of dual infections (9% compared to 19%). Unlike the previous study, there was no association between either dual infection (n = 4) or multivariant transmission (n = 7) and disease progression. This study emphasized the importance of monitoring changes in the HIV epidemic as it may have important ramifications on our understanding of the natural history of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Cape Town, South Africa. zl.woodman@uct.ac.za
authors.forename: Zenda
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Woodman
authors.forename: Koleka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mlisana
authors.forename: Florette
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Treurnicht
authors.forename: Melissa-Rose
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Abrahams
authors.forename: Ruwayida
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thebus
authors.forename: Salim Abdool
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Williamson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D060085:Coinfection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D020180:Heteroduplex Analysis; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D011477:Sex Work; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult