Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 intersubtype recombinants predominate in the AIDS epidemic in Cameroon

A broad and rapidly changing HIV Type 1 (HIV-1) diversity has been reported from different populations in Cameroon since the early epidemic. Our understanding of HIV-1 dynamics can be improved by a systematic surveillance in Cameroon as accessibility and use of antiretroviral drugs increase. To contribute to this, we genotyped 30 samples by sequencing the protease and reverse transcriptase (proRT) genes of HIV-1. Phylogenetic analysis of the HIV-1 proRT sequences using the MEGA3 software showed that 26 (86.7%) were recombinant forms which included 20 (66.7%) circulating recombinant forms: CRF02_AG, (50%), CRF06_cpx (3.3%), CRF11 _cpx (10%) and CRF37_cpx (3.3%), and 6 unique recombinant forms (URF, 20%). Two of the six URFs were second generation recombinants and 4 contained unclassified segments. HIV-1 subtypes A1 (3.3%), C (3.3%) and D (6.7%) were also identified. Although partial sequences of HIV-1 genome were analysed, our results indicate that recombinant HIV-1 variants predominate in the AIDS epidemic in Cameroon. With the widespread use of antiretroviral drugs in Cameroon and the circulation of several HIV-1 variants within this population, the emergence of recombinants with unknown diagnostic and clinical consequences is a concern.