Diversity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype A and CRF03_AB protease in Eastern Europe: selection of the V77I variant and its rapid spread in injecting drug user populations.

ABSTRACT: To characterize polymorphisms of the subtype A protease in the former Soviet Union, proviral DNA samples were obtained, with informed consent, from 119 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-positive untreated injecting drug users (IDUs) from 16 regions. All individuals studied have never been treated with antiretroviral drugs. The isolates were defined as IDU-A (n = 115) and CRF03_AB (n = 4) by using gag/env HMA/sequencing. The pro region was analyzed by using sequencing and original HIV-ProteaseChip hybridization technology. The mean of pairwise nucleotide distance between 27 pro sequences (23 IDU-A and 4 CRF03_AB) was low (1.38 +/- 0.79; range, 0.00 to 3.23). All sequences contained no primary resistance mutations. However, 13 of 23 (56.5%) subtype A isolates bore the V77I substitu

SUBMITTER: Roudinskii NI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC521816 | biostudies-literature | 2004 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature