Molecular epidemiology of HIV type 1 infection in Iran: genomic evidence of CRF35_AD predominance and CRF01_AE infection among individuals associated with injection drug use

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2013 Jan;29(1):198-203. doi: 10.1089/AID.2012.0186. Epub 2012 Sep 25.

Abstract

To understand the molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 infection in Iran, we conducted the first study to analyze the genome sequence of Iranian HIV-1 isolates. For this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 10 HIV-1-infected individuals associated with injection drug use from Tehran, Shiraz, and Kermanshah. Near full-length genome sequences obtained from their plasma samples were used for phylogenetic tree and similarity plotting analyses. Among 10 isolates, nine were clearly identified as CRF35_AD and the remaining one as CRF01_AE. Interestingly, five of our Iranian CRF35_AD isolates made two clusters with 10 Afghan CRF35_AD isolates in a phylogenetic tree, indicating epidemiological connections among injection drug users in Iran and Afghanistan. In contrast, our CRF01_AE isolate had no genetic relationship with any other CRF01_AE isolates worldwide, even from Afghanistan. This study provides the first genomic evidence of HIV-1 CRF35_AD predominance and CRF01_AE infection among individuals associated with injection drug use in Iran.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Base Sequence
  • Female
  • Genome, Viral / genetics
  • HIV / genetics*
  • HIV Infections / etiology
  • HIV Infections / genetics
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • Humans
  • Iran / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Phylogeny
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / complications
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / virology*
  • Young Adult

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AB703607
  • GENBANK/AB703608
  • GENBANK/AB703609
  • GENBANK/AB703610
  • GENBANK/AB703611
  • GENBANK/AB703612
  • GENBANK/AB703613
  • GENBANK/AB703614
  • GENBANK/AB703615
  • GENBANK/AB703616