Presence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Type 1 Subtype A Infection in a New York Community with High HIV Prevalence: A Sentinel Site for Monitoring HIV Genetic Diversity in North America

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 176; no. 6; pp. 1629 - 1633
• Main Authors: Irwin, Kathleen L., Pau, Chou-Pong, Lupo, Davis, Pienazek, Danuta, Luo, Chi-Cheng, Olivo, Noemi, Rayfield, Mark, Hu, Dale J., Weber, J. Todd, Respess, Richard A., Janssen, Robert, Minor, Patrick, Ernst, Jerome
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.12.1997; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: AIDS; Biological and medical sciences; Concies Communicatoins; Epidemiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic diversity; HIV; HIV 1; Human viral diseases; Infections; Infectious diseases; Medical genetics; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Polymerase chain reaction; Preventive medicine; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Virology; Viruses; New York; United States; North America; America; Human; Immunopathology; HIV-1 virus; Retroviridae; Genotype; AIDS; Genetic diversity; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Epidemiology; Infection; Virus; Population survey; Investigation method; Viral disease; Human immunodeficiency virus
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/517343

To determine whether US residents are infected with subtypes of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 other than subtype B (Western), the predominant North American subtype with a unique GPGR genetic sequence in the V3 loop, viruses from 22 HIV-infected adults were serotyped and subtyped. Twenty patients had subtype B (Western), of whom 15 had serotype B (Western), 3 had serotype A/C, 1 had serotype B (Thai), and 1 had a nontypeable serotype. Two had subtype A, both serotype A/C. Both subtype A-infected patients, only 1 of whom had been outside the United States, reported sex with persons traveling abroad, suggesting possible acquisition in the United States. Because US residents are infected with non-subtype B (Western) strains, US surveillance for HIV-1 diversity is needed to elucidate subtype-specific transmission patterns and pathogenesis and to guide evaluation and development of HIV diagnostic tests and vaccines.