title: HIV-1 Subtype distribution in morocco based on national sentinel surveillance data 2004-2005.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about HIV-1 subtype distribution in Morocco. Some data suggest an emergence of new HIV subtypes. We conducted phylogenetic analysis on a nationally representative sample of 60 HIV-1 viral specimens collected during 2004-2005 through the Morocco national HIV sentinel surveillance survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While subtype B is still the most prevalent, 23.3% of samples represented non-B subtypes, the majority of which were classified as CRF02_AG (15%). Molecular clock analysis confirmed that the initial introduction of HIV-1B in Morocco probably came from Europe in the early 1980s. In contrast, the CRF02_AG strain appeared to be introduced from sub-Saharan Africa in two separate events in the 1990s.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subtype CRF02_AG has been emerging in Morocco since the 1990s. More information about the factors introducing HIV subtype-specific transmission will inform the prevention strategy in the region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. cookrl@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akrim
authors.forename: Sanae
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lemrabet
authors.forename: Elmir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elharti
authors.forename: Rebecca R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Jean Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Tardy
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salemi
authors.forename: Patrice
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Andre
authors.forename: Taj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Azarian
authors.forename: Rajae El
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Aouad