title: HIV-1 epidemiology and circulating subtypes in the countryside of South Brazil.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has spread worldwide, with several subtypes and circulating recombinant forms. Brazil has an incidence of 20.5 HIV-1/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients per 100,000 inhabitants; however, the Southernmost State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) has more than twice the number of HIV-1-infected people (41.3/100,000 inhabitants) and a different pattern of subtype frequencies, as previously reported in studies conducted in the capital (Porto Alegre) and its metropolitan region. This study examined HIV-1/AIDS epidemiological and molecular aspects in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul.
  
  
  METHODS
  Socio-demographic, clinical and risk behavioral characteristics were obtained from HIV-1-positive adult patients using a structured questionnaire. HIV-1 subtypes were determined by nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the pol and env genes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study sample included 149 (55% women) patients with a mean age of 41.8 ± 11.9 years. Most (73.8%) patients had a low education level and reported heterosexual practices as the most (91.9%) probable transmission route. HIV-1 subtypes were detected in 26 patients: 18 (69.2%) infected with subtype C, six (23.1%) infected with subtype B and two (7.7%) infected with BC recombinant forms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data highlight the increasing number of HIV-1 subtype C infections in the countryside of South Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carina Sperotto
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Librelotto
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia e Biociências, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tiago
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gräf
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.affiliation: Centro de Desenvolvimento Técnico e Científico, Fundação Estadual de Produção e Pesquisa em Saúde, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sabrina Esteves Matos
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: de Almeida
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Celular e Molecular Aplicada à Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, Canoas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vagner Ricardo
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Lunge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015752:Genes, env / Q000235:genetics; D015750:Genes, gag / Q000235:genetics; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors