Recombination following superinfection by HIV-1.
Journal Title: AIDS - Year 2004, Vol 18, Issue 2
Abstract
BACKGROUND: There is increasing recognition of recombinant HIV-1 strainsglobally, but it has been unclear whether recombination results from superinfection during untreated,chronic infection. OBJECTIVE: To search for evidence of recombination and superinfection in Africa, wheremultiple HIV-1 subtypes facilitate identification of strains. METHODS: Serial blood samples from highlyexposed, chronically infected women in Nairobi's Pumwani sex workers cohort were examined. Serial, completeHIV-1 RNA sequence analyses were performed for seven untreated long-term survivors. Sequences were subjectedto computational analysis. RESULTS: One woman had evidence of both superinfection and recombination.Complete HIV-1 RNA sequences were first derived from plasma obtained in 1986, when the woman had beenHIV seropositive for at least 21 months; this sequence was entirely subtype A. The sequences obtainedfrom plasma in 1995 and 1997, however, were subtype A/C recombinants with a SimPlot demonstrating thatthe subtype A fragment in 1995 and 1997 was derived from the original 1986 A sequence. Heteroduplex trackingassays demonstrated that the subtype C sequences were not detectable as minor species in 1986. CONCLUSION:Intersubtype recombination took place between the original non-recombinant subtype A strain and the superinfectingsubtype C strain in an untreated, chronically infected woman. This finding helps to explain the risingprevalence of recombinant HIV-1 worldwide. Recombination resulting from superinfection with diverse strainsmay pose problems for eliciting broad immune responses necessary for an effective vaccine.
Authors and Affiliations
Guowei Fang, Barbara Weiser, Carla Kuiken, Sean M Philpott, Sarah Rowland-Jones, Francis Plummer, Joshua Kimani, Binshan Shi, Rupert Kaul, Job Bwayo, Omu Anzala, Harold Burger
Keywords
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