AEGiS-14IAC: Analyses of the pol gene, and the V3 region of gp120 in recent and long term HIV positive anonymous testing clients in Santos, Brazil.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Analyses of the pol gene, and the V3 region of gp120 in recent and long term HIV positive anonymous testing clients in Santos, Brazil.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. A10034)

Sucupira MC, Caseiro MM, Alves K, Sabino EC, Castelo-Filho A, Page-Shafer K, Diaz RS
USP and UNIFESP, Sao Paulo, Brazil

BACKGROUND: Although the benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are well established, its inappropriate use may lead to an incomplete suppression of viral replication and the emergence of drug-resistant variants. Surveillance for multi-drug resistance is important in order to prevent emerging clinical or public health problems.

METHODS: PBMCs were collected and stored from HIV+ anonymous HIV testing (ATS) clients in Santos, Brazil in 1999/2000. Recently acquired HIV infection (R-HIV+) was determined using the detuned assay. 20 samples from R-HIV+'s, and 27 long-standing HIV+ (L-HIV+) samples, all ART naïve, were analyzed. DNAs were purified and samples were subjected to PCR amplification of the C2-V3-C3 region of gp120 (V3), and the protease (PT)/reverse transcriptase (RT) regions of the pol gene. Sequences were subjected to phylogenetic analyses and determination of the primary genotypic resistance profile.

RESULTS: Mutation T215Y was present in 10.5% of R-HIV+'s and 3.7% of L-HIV+'s; M184V was present in 10.5% and 3.7%, respectively. K103N was present in 5.3% of R-HIV+'s and 3.7% of L-HIV+'s in RI and LTI, and M41L was present in 5.3% and 3.7% of R-HIV+'s and L-HIV+'s. 11.1% of L-HIV+ individuals presented the recently described deletion at codon 67 of RT that causes multi-drug-resistance to RTI and NRTI. 50% of the R-HIV+'s harbored B/B/B viruses (V3/PT/RT), 38.8% had B/F/B, 5.6% F/B/F, and 5.6% F/B/B. 37.5% of L-HIV+'s were infected with B/B/B viruses, 58.3% were infected with B/F/B viruses, and 4.2% were infected with C/C/C viruses. [table: see text] [table: see text]

CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of primary genotypic resistance was higher than expected, when compared to other surveys in Brazil, probably due to long term use of antiretrovirals in this region. High levels of recombinant HIV-1 strains were detected in this region, greatly increasing the genetic diversity of the virus. This may be of importance for future vaccine development.

Keywords: AEGIS, Genes, pol, Anonymous Testing, HIV Infections, HIV-1, HIV Seropositivity, HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase, Prevalence, Mutation, Brazil, Human, genetics

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A10034