HIV-1 subtype diversity based on envelope C2V3 sequences from Kenyan patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy

Type Journal Article - AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
Title HIV-1 subtype diversity based on envelope C2V3 sequences from Kenyan patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy
Author(s)
Volume 31
Issue 4
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2015
Page numbers 452-455
URL http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/aid.2014.0306?journalCode=aid
Abstract
There is a continuous need to genetically characterize the HIV strains in circulation in order to assess interventions and inform vaccine discovery. We partially sequenced the envelope C2V3 gene from a total of 59 Kenyan patients on highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) and determined HIV subtypes using both the JPHMM subtyping tool and the phylogenetic method. HIV-1 subtype A1 was the predominant strain in circulation, representing 65.5% and 74.5% of all isolates as determined by JPHMM and phylogenetic methods, respectively. Subtypes C and D were the next most prevalent pure strains at 9.1% each by both methods. JPHMM identified 9.1% of the isolates as recombinant. Four isolates had short sequences not covering the entire C2V3 region and were thus not subtyped. From this study, subtype A viruses are still the predominant HIV-1 strains in local circulation in Kenya. Constant surveillance is needed to update molecular trends under continuing HAART scale-up.

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