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HIV-1 diversity in Romania
C Apetrei1, A Necula, C Holm-Hansen
1Laboratoire de Virologie, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France.
AIDS (London, England)
|July 14, 1998
Summary
Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype F is dominant in Romania, affecting both adults and children. This study investigated HIV-1 subtype prevalence and origins in Romania between 1990-1997.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- The Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) epidemic has diverse etiological agents with varying geographical distributions.
- Understanding HIV-1 subtype dynamics is crucial for effective public health interventions and vaccine development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and evolution of HIV-1 subtypes in Romanian adults and children.
- To investigate the origins of the nosocomial HIV-1 epidemic in Romania.
Main Methods:
- Serotyping of 1000 HIV-1 infected serum and plasma samples from 1990-1997 using peptide subtype-specific enzyme immunoassay (SSEIA).
- Genotyping of viral DNA from 84 patients using heteroduplex mobility assay or C2-V3 env region sequence analysis.
- Correlation analysis between serotyping and genotyping results.
Main Results:
- HIV-1 subtype F was the predominant strain, found in 93% of horizontally infected children and 68% of adults.
- Other detected subtypes included A, B, C, D, and E, particularly in vertically infected children.
- A stable distribution of subtypes was observed over the 7-year study period (1990-1997).
Conclusions:
- Subtype F significantly dominates HIV-1 epidemiology in Romania across all age groups.
- The prevalence of subtype F in Romania could influence future HIV-1 genetic diversity in Europe.
- Further research into the origins of the nosocomial epidemic is warranted.