AIDS research and human retroviruses最新文献

Sexual and/or injecting partners of people who inject drugs (PWID) may have an elevated risk of HIV infection either from sharing a transmission network or an epidemiological environment. We estimated the degree of similarity between HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) sequences from PWID and their partners to assess whether partner-based recruitment identifies sexual or injecting partners within transmission networks. We used assisted partner services (APS) to recruit sexual and injecting partners of PWID living with HIV in Kenya and evaluated trends in the TN93 distances (an adjusted measure of sequence similarity) of the HIV-1 and HCV sequences from partner pairs. Of 135 unique pairs identified, 2 sexual, 2 injecting, and 3 unique sexual and injecting partner pairs had HIV sequences within a TN93 distance of 0.045, and 4 unique partner pairs had HCV sequences with distances <0.015. Sexual but not injecting partner pairs had HIV sequences with significantly smaller distances than non-partners, on average, but injecting partner pairs did have significantly smaller HCV-4a patristic distances than non-partners. APS recruitment partly reflects the HIV transmission network among sexual, but not injecting, partners of PWID. The relationship between the injecting partner recruitment and molecular networks is stronger for HCV than HIV and may reflect some recent parenteral HCV transmission. Our results show the importance of continued focus on reducing sexual HIV transmission among PWID and on education and services to address HCV transmission through needle- and/or equipment-sharing.

Anal condyloma acuminatum (ACA) has a high incidence and recurrence rate in people living with HIV (PWH) but there are few studies to systematically characterize its clinical features. We aimed to analysis the clinical features in PWH with ACA and elucidate the risk factors of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. In total, 208 patients who had ACA surgically excised were enrolled (including 123 ACA subjects with HIV infection) from December 1, 2020, to June 31, 2023, and the sex, age, occupation, marital status, new versus recurrent, HPV genotypes, and treatment history of patients were involved. The HIV viral, CD4 and CD8 cell counts, and the antiretroviral therapy (ART) were also obtained from PWH. PWH with ACA were more likely to be male, employee, and age 19-59 and less likely to be under 18 or over 60 years old (p < .05). The proportion of high-risk HPV infection (30.1%) and triple or more HPV infection (20.5%) in PWH with ACA was significantly higher than those in patients without HIV infection (15.3% and 1.3%, respectively). Moreover, the prevalence of high-risk HPV infection (62.1%) and multiple HPV infection (76.0%) in PWH who were not on ART was significantly higher than those who received ART (20.0%,28.2%, respectively). The conditional logistic regression analysis suggested HIV positivity as the primary risk factor for the high-risk HPV infection in ACA and no ART is a risk factor for high-risk HPV infection. In conclusion, PWH with ACA are more likely to have a high-risk HPV and therefore will be at increased risk for anal SCC, and this risk can in part be mitigated using ART. PWH should start ART as soon as possible after diagnosis. And for PWH with ACA, routine histopathological evaluation and HPV typing of intra-anal warts and follow-up and treatment of all dysplastic warts should be recommended.

Many new circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) and unique recombinant forms (URFs) of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) have been discovered in populations with multiple circulating HIV-1 genotypes. In this study, we report two novel URFs derived from two HIV-1-positive individuals in Hebei, China, who were infected through homosexual (BDD142) and heterosexual (BDD154) contact. Phylogenetic and recombinant analyses of the two NFLG revealed that they are second-generation recombinant strains originating from the CRF01_AE cluster 4/B and CRF01_AE cluster 5/B strains. The BDD142 viral genome consists of a subtype B fragment inserted into a CRF01_AE backbone, whereas the BDD154 virus genome consists of two subtype B fragments inserted into a CRF01_AE backbone. Prompt monitoring of molecular epidemiological shifts of HIV-1 within sexually transmitted populations and enhanced behavioral interventions targeting this group are imperative to mitigate the spread of HIV-1 effectively.

Recombination contributes substantially to the genetic diversity of HIV-1. Here we reported a novel HIV-1 recombinant detected from a Chinese labor who had been to Uganda as an immigrant worker using nanopore sequencing. Near full-length genome (NFLG) phylogenetic analysis showed that the novel HIV-1 recombinant HIV-sd1801 stood in a distinct branch between the CRF130_A1B/CRF131_A1B and CRF50_A1D/CRF84_A1D reference sequences. Recombinant analysis showed that the NFLG of HIV-sd1801 was composed of subtypes A1, D, and K, with 19 recombinant breakpoints observed in the gag, pol, tat, rev, vpu, env, and nef regions. This is the first detection of a novel HIV-1 recombinant (A1/D/K) in immigrant workers in China, which indicated the continuous evolution of HIV-1 among this population and underscored the importance of continuous surveillance of the dynamic changes of HIV-1.

There has been significant controversy surrounding the use of HIV sequence data to identify outbreaks of HIV transmission since the initiation of molecular HIV surveillance (MHS) in the US. The current approach to MHS is comprehensive cluster detection and response (CDR), in which clusters of related infections are identified and used as the basis for cluster-based or population-based interventions. With CDR, there are ethical and stigma concerns around the impingement of individual privacy, as well as legal concerns around the inference of transmission in regions where HIV criminalization laws and statutes exist. Here we propose an alternative approach to the analysis of HIV sequence and public health data that focuses on regions and populations rather than clusters, and still provides useful data for public health agencies.

The global human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) pandemic is driven by the extraordinary genetic diversity of the virus, largely resulting from frequent recombination events. These events generate circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) and unique recombinant forms, which significantly contribute to the complexity of HIV-1 epidemiology, especially within key populations, such as men who have sex with men (MSM). Here, we identified three novel HIV-1 recombinant strains consisting of the CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC subtypes from HIV-positive MSM in Baoding City, Hebei Province, China. Using near-full-length genome analysis and phylogenetic reconstruction, the strains-designated BDL017, BDL036, and BDSB006-were shown to exhibit distinct mosaic structures. Each strain contained multiple inserted fragments from CRF07_BC and CRF01_AE within various genomic regions, highlighting their complex recombination patterns. Our study emphasizes the need for continuous molecular surveillance among MSM in Hebei Province to monitor these recombinant forms and prevent their spread to the broader population.

Under the background of the main epidemic HIV strains (CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC) co-circulation in China, more HIV second-generation recombinant (SGR) strains with CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC as the backbone were also emerging. In this study, we characterize a novel HIV-1 second-generation circulating recombinant form (CRF117_0107) consisting of CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC fragments from three epidemiologically unrelated HIV-1-infected individuals. One near full-length genome (NFLG) sequence was amplified, sequenced, and spliced in two halves using RNA extracted from the plasma of a homosexual in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. Two other NFLG sequences were obtained from the Los Alamos HIV Sequence Database under accession numbers KY201177 and MK397789, which were isolated from men who have sex with men (MSM) in Guangdong Province and Zhejiang Province, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these NFLG sequences formed a monophyletic cluster with a high bootstrap value of 1.0. Recombination analysis demonstrated that the genome of CRF117_0107 was separated into three segments by two breakpoints. Further subregional phylogenetic analysis was performed that showed segment I+III (790-5990nt, 8295-9412nt) of CRF117_0107 originated from the CRF07_BC cluster, and Segment I+III (5991-8294nt) originated from the CRF01_AE cluster. The appearance of CRF117_0107 further highlights that HIV-1 SGR strains containing CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC will be generated more frequently and will most likely be more conducive to accelerating the spread of HIV in China. This study suggested it's essential to monitor HIV-1 second-generation CRFs among high-risk populations such as MSM for the epidemic and evolution dynamics of HIV-1 in China.

In 2023, we published a case study involving a 10-year-old HIV-1-infected child with low-level viremia (LLV). We showed that this child patient achieved successful viral suppression by modifying the antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen according to the HIV-1 DNA genotypic drug resistance testing. In this study, we aimed to address whether HIV-1 DNA genotypic drug resistance testing could direct successfully virological suppression in HIV-1-infected patients experiencing persistent LLV based on evidence from a cohort study. The subjects of this study were all people living with HIV-1 who received ART and followed in the Yuexi County (Liangshan, China) from December 2010 to February 2024. From June 2021 to February 2024, a total of 10 mL of peripheral blood was collected from each subject at each follow-up and separated. HIV-1 RNA and HIV-1 DNA were quantified, followed by HIV-1 genotypic drug resistance testing. ART regimens were accordingly adjusted, while follow-up tests were performed in terms of HIV-1 RNA and DNA measurements. The prevalent HIV-1 DNA drug resistance mutations (DRMs) included M184V, K103N, K101E/P, and V108I. The primary resistance mutations observed for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) were against abacavir, lamivudine, and emtricitabine. For non-NRTI, the primary DRMs were associated with efavirenz and nevirapine. Five out of the six patients were subjected to regimen adjustments according to HIV-1 DNA DRMs, while one patient was continuously treated with unchanged regimen. Viral suppression was achieved in all five ART-changed cases, with observation of remarkable of HIV-1 DNA decline. The ART-unchanged case showed progressive treatment failure with drastic increase of plasma HIV-1 RNA and whole blood HIV-1 DNA. For patients with LLV, HIV-1 DNA genotypic drug resistance testing directed ART regimen considerations are highly recommended for achieving viral suppression.

Infection with Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) shows a higher risk of infection by Human papillomavirus (HPV). We aim to provide evidence about the effect of a Coriolus versicolor-based vaginal gel (Papilocare®) for treating HPV in women with HIV. Women ≥25 years coinfected by endocervical HPV and with low-grade abnormal cervicovaginal cytology were treated for 6 months with Papilocare® in this observational, prospective, non-controlled pilot study. Cytology, colposcopy, biopsy, hybrid capture test, and 5-point Likert scale were assessed to evaluate cervical lesions repair, HPV clearance, and changes in cervical reepithelization, respectively, at 6 months. Fifteen patients (25-54 years) were included. Overall HPV clearance and cytological normalization rates were 73.3% and 80.0%, respectively, and 55.6% of the abnormal colposcopies were normalized. Re-epithelialization index improved in 66.7% of cases. Papilocare® may be effective for managing endocervical HPV infection in patients living with HIV.

In this study, by analyzing the available near full-length genome (NFLG) sequences of CRF55_01B, it was found that two of the NFLG sequences could not be clustered with other NFLG sequences. Recombination analysis and phylogenetic analysis suggested that these two NFLG sequences arose by recombination with subtype B based on CRF55_01B, rather than by recombination directly derived from CRF01_AE and subtype B. In addition, two other HIV-1 partial gene fragments found in the database shared the same characteristics as these two NFLG sequences in the key recombination region. These sequences may therefore represent a previously unrecognized circulating recombinant form (CRF), which has been named CRF149_01B. Evolutionary analyses suggested that CRF149_01B emerged between approximately 2005 and 2007. The discovery of CRF149_01B highlights the complexity of HIV recombinant evolution and advances the refinement of the HIV genotyping system. A deeper understanding of HIV-1 genetics will facilitate molecular tracing and provide a basis for studying the biological properties of HIV.