Changing patterns in HIV‐1 non‐B clade prevalence and diversity in Italy over three decades

• Published in: HIV medicine Vol. 11; no. 9; pp. 593 - 602
• Main Authors: Lai, A, Riva, C, Marconi, A, Balestrieri, M, Razzolini, F, Meini, G, Vicenti, I, Rosi, A, Saladini, F, Caramma, I, Franzetti, M, Rossini, V, Galli, A, Galli, M, Violin, M, Zazzi, M, Balotta, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2010
• Subjects: Adult; Continental Population Groups - statistics & numerical data; Demography; Epidemics; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Genes, pol - genetics; Genotype; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1 - classification; HIV-1 - genetics; HIV‐1; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Humans; Immigration; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; new diagnoses of HIV‐1 infection; Phylogeny; recombinants; Recombination, Genetic; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sex Distribution; Sexual Behavior; subtypes; Time Factors; variability; Italy
• ISSN: 1464-2662; 1468-1293
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-1293.2010.00832.x

Background HIV‐1 non‐B subtypes have recently entered Western Europe following immigration from other regions. The distribution of non‐B clades and their association with demographic factors, over the entire course of the HIV‐1 epidemic, have not been fully investigated in Italy. Methods We carried out a phylogenetic analysis of HIV‐1 pol sequences derived from 3670 patients followed at 50 Italian clinical centres over nearly three decades. Results Overall, 417 patients (11.4%) carried non‐B subtypes. The prevalence of non‐B strains increased from 2.6% in 1980–1992 to 18.9% in 1993–2008 (P<0.0001) in a subset of 2479 subjects with a known year of diagnosis. A multivariate analysis on a subset of 1364 patients for whom relevant demographic data were available indicated that African ethnicity, heterosexual route of infection and year of diagnosis were independently associated with non‐B HIV‐1 infection (P≤0.0001). All pure subtypes, except for clade K, and seven circulating recombinant forms were detected, accounting for 56.6 and 34.1% of the non‐B infections, respectively. The F1 subtype was the most prevalent non‐B clade among Europeans and was acquired heterosexually in half of this patient population. Unique recombinant forms accounted for 9.4% of the non‐B sequences and showed a B/F1 recombination pattern in one‐third of cases. Conclusions The circulation of non‐B clades has significantly increased in Italy in association with demographic changes. Spread of the F1 subtype and B/F recombinants appears to predominate, which may result in a redistribution of the relative proportions of the different strains, and this could lead to overlapping epidemics. Thus, the HIV‐1 landscape in Italy may in future be distinct from that of the rest of Europe.