Changes in Primary HIV-1 Drug Resistance Due to War Migration from Eastern Europe

J Immigr Minor Health. 2024 Feb;26(1):15-22. doi: 10.1007/s10903-023-01559-1. Epub 2023 Nov 16.

Abstract

In recent years, especially as a result of war in Ukraine, enormous movements of migration to Poland from eastern European countries have been reported, including people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). We have conducted multi-center, prospective study, which aimed to establish HIV-1 subtype and assess the presence of primary drug resistance mutations to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors in antiretroviral treatment naïve patients. The clinical trial recruited 117 individuals during 2 years period (2020-2022). The prevalence of HIV-1 subtype A was statistically significantly more frequent in Ukrainian, and HIV-1 subtype B in Polish patients (p < 0.05). Drug resistance mutations were detected in 44% of all cases and the comparison of presence of mutations in the analyzed groups, as well as in the subgroups of subtype A and B HIV-1 has not revealed any significant differences (p > 0.05), nevertheless Polish patients had multidrug resistance mutations more frequent (p < 0.05). The results from our trial show no increased risk of transmission of multidrug resistant HIV strains in our cohort of Ukrainian migrants.Clinical trials. Gov number NCT04636736; date of registration: November 19, 2020.

Keywords: ART; Epidemiology; HIV; Migrants; Ukraine; War.

MeSH terms

  • Drug Resistance, Viral / genetics
  • Europe, Eastern
  • Genotype
  • HIV Infections* / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections* / epidemiology
  • HIV-1* / genetics
  • Humans
  • Prospective Studies
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04636736