First report on HIV molecular epidemiology in a native community from Argentina reveals transmission clades in the context of a unique HLA background

D MONACO; D DILERNIA; L YUE; M QUIPILDOR; A DI PAOLO; E HUNTER; H SALOMON

Boston

Congreso; AIDS Vaccine 2012; 2012

AIDS VACCINE 2012

􀀑􀄂􀄐􀅬􀅐􀆌􀅽􀆵􀅶􀄚􀍗􀀃The Department of Orán is located on the North of Ar􀅐en􀆟na and is pop􀆵lated 􀄏y na􀆟􀇀e se􀆩lements and 􀆵r􀄏ani􀇌ed areas. During the last twelve years, an increasing number of HIV infec􀆟ons have been detected. 􀁴e previously reported a highly limited HLA diversity with a reduced number of HLA-A and B alleles present at high prevalence. The ob􀅩ec􀆟ve of the present study was to characterize the HIV epidemic through full-length genome se􀆋uencing of the virus in this popula􀆟on. 􀁄􀄞􀆚􀅚􀅽􀄚􀆐􀍗􀀃Samples from 1􀏰7 HIV posi􀆟ve individuals collected in three campaigns to Orán were analyzed. Viral load, CD4-count and drug resistance were assessed and reported to the clinicians. Limi􀆟ng-dilu􀆟on full genome se􀆋uencing was performed from plasma on 65 of the samples. Viral diversity was analyzed by recombina􀆟on 􀍾SimPlot􀍿 and Neighbor-􀀺oining trees with bootstrap. HLA-A, B and C were characterized by SBT. R􀄞􀆐􀆵􀅯􀆚􀆐􀍗􀀃HLA typing showed a limited gene􀆟c diversity even at the four-digits high-resolu􀆟on typing. This allele distribu􀆟on resembles the one reported previously for this community with two-digits and con􀄮rms that the individuals included were in fact na􀆟ve. SimPlot analysis of the 65 complete and nearly-complete genomes showed a high prevalence of B􀀦 recombinants􀍾70.77􀐹􀍿 and the presence of subtype B􀍾23.0􀏴􀐹􀍿, C􀍾3.0􀏴􀐹􀍿 and 􀀦􀍾3.0􀏴􀐹􀍿 virus. 7 main recombina􀆟on structures were found repeatedly in not-epidemiologically-linked individuals within highly supported monophyle􀆟c clades sugges􀆟ng transmission of these par􀆟cular viral strains within the community. 􀀒􀅽􀅶􀄐􀅯􀆵􀆐􀅝􀅽􀅶􀍗􀀃 This HIV epidemic seems to be characterized by a few introduc􀆟ons of viral variants that had spread on the community. Most of them have been BF recombinants with par􀆟cular recombina􀆟on structures. This work will allow us to further inves􀆟gate the impact of the gene􀆟c features of this na􀆟ve community on viral evolu􀆟on but also has facilitated the access of these individuals to clinical studies and counseling.