Study of the genotypic resistant pattern in HIV-infected women and children from rural west Cameroon

AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2008 Jun;24(6):781-5. doi: 10.1089/aid.2007.0213.

Abstract

The distribution of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy resistance mutations among HIV-1 strains was evaluated in 39 postpartum women, one pregnant woman, and 12 HIV-positive babies (seven newborns and five children) living in rural west Cameroon. Thirty-five women and all newborns received a single dose of nevirapine (NVP) to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1; two women were ARV treated and three were ARV naive. Of the 52 viral strains examined, three were subtype B, 45 were classified into eight HIV-1 non-B subtypes, and four remained unclassifiable. Sequence analysis for genotypic drug resistance in the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene showed the presence of mutations associated with nonnucleoside RT inhibitor resistance in 20% of the samples from NVP-treated women and in 57% of those from treated newborns. Mutations associated with nucleoside RT inhibitors (M184V in one case and V118I in four cases) were found in five samples, despite being derived from ARV-naive patients. As expected, a greater frequency of mutations was found in the protease gene region. Of the sequences analyzed, 79% harbored five to seven specific mutations. The secondary mutations showed the typical protease inhibitor resistance-associated pattern for non-subtype B viruses, M36I being the predominant mutation (92.5% in women, 100% in babies). Other mutations frequently detected were K20I, L63P, H69K, and I13V. These findings confirm that resistance mutations can be detected in ARV-naive patients infected with non-B subtypes and emphasize an urgent need for studies assessing the impact of these mutations on the efficacy of subsequent ARV therapy and on the appearance of drug-resistant strains.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cameroon / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cohort Studies
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • HIV-1 / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical / prevention & control
  • Nevirapine / therapeutic use
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / drug therapy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology
  • RNA, Viral / blood
  • Rural Health
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / genetics

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • HIV Protease Inhibitors
  • RNA, Viral
  • pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
  • Nevirapine