AEGiS-13IAC: Genetic subtypes of HIV-1 based on the ENV/VPU sequences in republic of Congo.

13th International AIDS Conference

Durban, South Africa - July 9-July 14, 2000

Genetic subtypes of HIV-1 based on the ENV/VPU sequences in republic of Congo.

Int Conf AIDS 2000 Jul 9-14; 13:32 (abstract no.. LbPeA7004)

Parral H, Taniguchi Y, Takehisa J
Laboratoire National de Sante Publique, Brazzaville, Congo. Fax: +242 83 61 99/ +81 76 234 4237.

BACKGROUND: In order to assess the molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 in Republic of Congo, we investigated 28 HIV-1 isolates obtained Congolese AIDS patients in 1996 and 1997.

METHODS: A part of the env region including the V3 loop and a part of 5'tat-env C1 region were phylogenctically analyzed.

RESULTS: The genotypes observed were varied: of 28 specimens, 12 (41 %) were subtype A, 1 (4 %) was D, 6 (21 %) were G, 5 (18 %) were H, 2 (7 %) were 1, and 2 (7 %) were unclassified subtype (U) in the env tree, however, 1 (4 %) was A, 1 (4 %) was D, 17 (61 %) were G, 5 (18 %) were H, 4 (15 %) were U in the vpu tree. In the env and vpu analyses, 16 (57 %) out of 28 isolates did not fall within the same subtype, especially, 9 out of those 16 were A/G (env/vpu) types. In contrast, neither G/A (env/vpu)-like virus nor IbNG-like recombinant virus was found in Congo.

CONCLUSIONS: These data suggested that at least 57 % of Congolese HIV-1s had mosaic structures and were derived from independent recombination in the past. Recomination between subtypes A and G might ocurred more frequent than other intersubtypes. The factor responsible for the high frequency of subtype G-like vpu gene might provide a clue to find effective measures for recombination.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV-1, Genes, vpu, HIV Infections, HIV Envelope Protein gp120, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Congo, HIV Integrase, HIV Envelope Protein gp41, HIV Core Protein p24, HIV, HIV Long Terminal Repeat, Human, genetics, immunology, AIDS
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