title: The evolution of HIV-1 group M genetic variability in Southern Cameroon is characterized by several emerging recombinant forms of CRF02_AG and viruses with drug resistance mutations.
abstract: The HIV epidemic in Cameroon is marked by a broad genetic diversity dominated by circulating recombinant forms (CRFs). Studies performed more than a decade ago in urban settings of Southern Cameroon revealed a dominance of the CRF02_AG and clade A variants in >90% of the infected subjects; however, little is known about the evolving viral variants circulating in this region. To document circulating HIV viral diversity, four regions of the viral genome (gag, PR, reverse transcriptase, env) in 116 HIV-1 positive individuals in Limbe, Southern Cameroon, were PCR-amplified. Sequences obtained at the RT and protease regions were analyzed for mutations that conferred drug resistance using the Stanford Drug Resistance Database. The present study reveals a broad genetic diversity characterized by several unique recombinant forms (URF) accounting for 36% of infections, 48.6% of patients infected with CRF02_AG, and the emergence of CRF22_01A1 in 7.2% of patients. Three out of 15 (20%) treated patients and 13 out of 93 (13.9%) drug naïve patients harbor drug resistance mutations to RT inhibitors, while 3.2% of drug naïve patients harbor drug resistance mutations associated with protease inhibitors. The high proportion (13.9%) of drug resistance mutations among the drug naïve patients reveals the ongoing transmission of these viruses in this region of Cameroon and highlights the need for drug resistance testing before starting treatment for patients infected with HIV-1.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, West Region, Cameroon; Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Agyingi
authors.forename: Luzia M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mayr
authors.forename: Thompson
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinge
authors.forename: George Enow
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Orock
authors.forename: Johnson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.forename: Bladine
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asaah
authors.forename: Mbida
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mpoame
authors.forename: Indira
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hewlett
authors.forename: Phillipe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nyambi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D054298:Human Immunodeficiency Virus Proteins; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Cameroon; drug resistance mutations; genetic diversity; unique recombinant forms