Molecular epidemiology of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission in a heterosexual cohort of discordant couples in Zambia.

ABSTRACT: Most human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmissions in sub-Saharan Africa are believed to occur between married adults who are discordant for their HIV-1 infection status; however, no studies to date have investigated the molecular epidemiology of such transmission events. Here we report the genetic characterization of HIV-1 strains from 149 transmission pairs that were identified prospectively in a cohort of discordant couples in Lusaka, Zambia. Subgenomic gag, gp120, gp41, and/or long terminal repeat regions were amplified by PCR analysis of uncultured blood samples from both partners and sequenced without interim cloning. Pairwise genetic distances were calculated for the regions analyzed and compared to those of subtype-specific reference sequences as well as local controls.

SUBMITTER: Trask SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC135722 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature