Prevalence of drug-resistance associated mutations among newly diagnosed HIV-1 infected individuals at two voluntary testing centres in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina

DILERNIA DA; LOURTAU L; MARONE R; CAROBENE M; PAMPURO S; EBENSRTEJIN J; LOSSO M; SALOMON H.

Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Congreso; 3rd IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment; 2005

International AIDS Society

Introduction: To estimate the prevalence of resistance associated mutations in drug-naïve HIV-infected patients of Buenos Aires, Argentina.To estimate the prevalence of resistance associated mutations in drug-naïve HIV-infected patients of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Methods: Blood samples from newly diagnosed, drug-naïve, HIV-1 infected individuals enrolled by sequential selection were obtained between 2002 and 2004 at two Voluntary Testing Centers in the city of Buenos Aires (Nexo Foundation, N=46 and Hospital Ramos Mejía, N=82). RNA extraction from plasma was performed, HIV pol gen was amplified by RT-PCR and genotyping was done by automated sequencing. This analysis describe the presence of mutations that have been associated with reduced susceptibility to protease and RT inhibitors, as reported by the International AIDS Society-USA in June 2002.Blood samples from newly diagnosed, drug-naïve, HIV-1 infected individuals enrolled by sequential selection were obtained between 2002 and 2004 at two Voluntary Testing Centers in the city of Buenos Aires (Nexo Foundation, N=46 and Hospital Ramos Mejía, N=82). RNA extraction from plasma was performed, HIV pol gen was amplified by RT-PCR and genotyping was done by automated sequencing. This analysis describe the presence of mutations that have been associated with reduced susceptibility to protease and RT inhibitors, as reported by the International AIDS Society-USA in June 2002. Results: 135 individuals were HIV-positive from 2404 tested. From 128 samples successfully sequenced, 7.8 % had mutations associated with reduced susceptibility to protease and/or RT inhibitors. The prevalence of these mutations was 12% at one site (Nexo Foundation) and 4.9% at the other site (Hospital Ramos Mejía), although this difference was not significant (p>0.05). NRTI resistance mutations (V118I, M41L and M184V) were more prevalent (3.9%), NNRTI and PI resistance mutations were found in 2.3% of samples (mutations V108I and K103N togheter with Y181C) and 1.6% (mutations M46L and L90M), respectively.135 individuals were HIV-positive from 2404 tested. From 128 samples successfully sequenced, 7.8 % had mutations associated with reduced susceptibility to protease and/or RT inhibitors. The prevalence of these mutations was 12% at one site (Nexo Foundation) and 4.9% at the other site (Hospital Ramos Mejía), although this difference was not significant (p>0.05). NRTI resistance mutations (V118I, M41L and M184V) were more prevalent (3.9%), NNRTI and PI resistance mutations were found in 2.3% of samples (mutations V108I and K103N togheter with Y181C) and 1.6% (mutations M46L and L90M), respectively. Conclusions: We found an unexpected high prevalence of resistance mutations (7.8%) in recently diagnosed individuals wich suggest an increase over the last years in Argentina when compared with our previous study (Kijak et al 2001). This data alerts us about the increasing prevalence of resistant variants circulating in our population and shows the necessity of developing greater scale studies for drug resistance survaillance in our region.We found an unexpected high prevalence of resistance mutations (7.8%) in recently diagnosed individuals wich suggest an increase over the last years in Argentina when compared with our previous study (Kijak et al 2001). This data alerts us about the increasing prevalence of resistant variants circulating in our population and shows the necessity of developing greater scale studies for drug resistance survaillance in our region.