Transmission patterns of HIV-1 non-R5 strains in Poland

Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 21;9(1):4970. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-41407-7.

Abstract

HIV-1 env sequencing enables predictions of viral coreceptor tropism and phylogenetic investigations of transmission events. The aim of the study was to estimate the contribution of non-R5 strains to the viral spread in Poland. Partial proviral env sequences were retrieved from baseline blood samples of patients with newly diagnosed HIV-1 infection between 2008-2014, including 46 patients with recent HIV-1 infection (RHI), and 246 individuals with long-term infection (LTHI). These sequences were subjected to the genotypic coreceptor tropism predictions and phylogenetic analyses to identify transmission clusters. Overall, 27 clusters with 57 sequences (19.5%) were detected, including 15 sequences (26.3%) from patients with RHI. The proportion of non-R5 strains among all study participants was 23.3% (68/292), and was comparable between patients with RHI and LTHI (11/46, 23.9% vs 57/246, 23.2%; p = 1.000). All 11 patients with non-R5 strains and RHI were men having sex with men (MSM). Among these patients, 4 had viral sequences grouped within phylogenetic cluster with another sequence of non-R5 strain obtained from patient with LTHI, indicating potential acquisition of non-R5 HIV-1 for at least 4/46 (8.7%) patients with RHI. We were unable to confirm the contribution of patients with RHI to the forward transmission of non-R5 strains, but a relatively high proportion of non-R5 strains among them deserves attention due to the limited susceptibility to CCR5 antagonists.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / metabolism
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis
  • HIV Infections / transmission*
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV-1 / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Markov Chains
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Phylogeny
  • Poland
  • Receptors, Virus / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / metabolism

Substances

  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120
  • Receptors, Virus
  • env Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus