Transmitted HIV type 1 drug resistance in newly diagnosed Cuban patients

Knowledge of the associated mutations to transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in strains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) constitutes a fundamental premise in epidemiological surveillance. In this present study, TDR from 200 Cuban patients who were diagnosed with HIV-1 between 2009 and 2011 was analyzed. By partial reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequencing of the HIV pol gene, an HIV subtype and transmitted resistance profile were determined. The prevalence of associated mutations to the TDR in the individuals studied was 21.5%. In the region of the reverse transcriptase, the most common mutations were K103N and M184V, while in the region of the protease they were L33F and M46L. The results of this study provide evidence of TDR in the Cuban seropositive population and suggest the necessity of making resistance assays before beginning antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected patients in Cuba.