Molecular epidemiology demonstrated three emerging clusters of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype B infection in Hong Kong
Leung, T.W.C.; Mak, D.; Wong, K.H.; Wang, Y.; Song, Y.H.; Tsang, D.N.C.; Wong, C.; Shao, Y.M.; Lim, W.L.
Aids Research and Human Retroviruses 24(7): 903-910
2008
ISSN/ISBN: 1931-8405 PMID: 18593342 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2007.0272Document Number: 202610
We conducted a molecular epidemiological study on newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected patients in Hong Kong to identify the epidemiological linkage of HIV-1 infection in the locality. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for HIV-1 was performed on newly diagnosed HIV-1-positive sera collected from January 2002 to December 2006. PCR products correspond to the env C2V3V4 region and gag p17/p24 junction of the HIV-1 genome were nucleotide sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses performed on the acquired nucleotide sequences revealed that CRF01_AE and subtype B were the two dominant HIV-1 subtypes. Analyses also demonstrated the presence of three emerging HIV-1 clusters among the subtype B sequences in Hong Kong. Individual cluster possesses a unique cluster-specific amino acid signature for identification. Data show that one of the clusters (Cluster I) is rapidly expanding. In addition to the unique cluster-specific amino acid signature, the majority of sequences in Cluster I harbor a 6-amino acid insertion at the gag p17/p24 junction in a region that is thought to be closely associated with HIV-1 infectivity.