[Molecular characteristics of HIV-1 CRF01_AE strains in Zhejiang province in 2009].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the molecular epidemiological characteristics of HIV-1 subtype CRF01_AE strains being prevailed among HIV/AIDS in Zhejiang province in 2009.


METHODS
A total of 303 subjects were identified by stratified random sampling among HIV infected individuals in Zhejiang province in 2009. Gag fragments of the HIV-1 strains were amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction from the DNA extracted from whole blood of HIV-1 infected individuals. PCR products were sequenced and analyzed by phylogenetic method.


RESULTS
A total of 132 HIV-1 subtype CRF01_AE sequences were identified from the 225 samples that sequenced successfully, accounting for 58.67% (132/225). A total of 90.91% (120/132) CRF01_AE strains infected HIV/AIDS were transmitted mainly by sexual contacts. A total of 65.91% (87/132) of the cases infected by heterosexual route and 25.00% (33/132) by homosexual route. There were three main clusters in the phylogenetic tree. Pairwise DNA distance within three groups was 0.037 ± 0.011, 0.034 ± 0.008 and 0.047 ± 0.010, which has statistical significance (P < 0.05). Distribution of the sequence of homosexual behavior infected individuals was relatively concentrated in clusters one (96.97%, 32/33), and crossed with heterosexual behavior infectors, and presented the close relations with strains from Jiangsu province, Zhengzhou of Henan province, Liaoning province, Shijiazhuang of Hebei province.


CONCLUSIONS
The CRF01_AE strains were the dominant subtypes among HIV infected individuals. The majority of the CRF01_AE infected cases had high risk sexual behavior. The heterosexual infected cases were more than homosexual cases. The circulating status of CRF01_AE strains in homosexual population was relatively independent, but also had evidence of transmission from man who have sex with man to heterosexual population.
AIDS/STD Prevention and Control Department of Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou 310051, China. xhpan310009@yahoo.com.cn
Xiao-hong
XH
Pan
Jia-feng
JF
Zhang
Xiao-bei
XB
Ding
Yun
Y
Xu
Lin
L
Chen
Jie-zhe
JZ
Yang
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D055815:Young Adult