HIV-1 epidemiology and circulating subtypes in the countryside of South Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Vol. 48; no. 3; pp. 249 - 257
• Main Authors: Librelotto, Carina Sperotto, Gräf, Tiago, Simon, Daniel, de Almeida, Sabrina Esteves Matos, Lunge, Vagner Ricardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical - SBMT 01-06-2015; Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT)
• Subjects: Adult; Brazil - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Epidemiology; Female; Genes, env - genetics; Genes, gag - genetics; Genotype; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1; HIV-1 - classification; HIV-1 - genetics; Humans; Male; Molecular Sequence Data; Phylogeny; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Risk Factors; South Brazil; Subtypes; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Brazil; HIV-1; Subtypes; South Brazil; Epidemiology
• ISSN: 0037-8682; 1678-9849; 1678-9849; 0037-8682
• DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0083-2015

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has spread worldwide, with several subtypes and circulating recombinant forms. Brazil has an incidence of 20.5 HIV-1/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients per 100,000 inhabitants; however, the Southernmost State of Rio Grande do Sul (RS) has more than twice the number of HIV-1-infected people (41.3/100,000 inhabitants) and a different pattern of subtype frequencies, as previously reported in studies conducted in the capital (Porto Alegre) and its metropolitan region. This study examined HIV-1/AIDS epidemiological and molecular aspects in the countryside of Rio Grande do Sul.
Socio-demographic, clinical and risk behavioral characteristics were obtained from HIV-1-positive adult patients using a structured questionnaire. HIV-1 subtypes were determined by nested-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the pol and env genes.
The study sample included 149 (55% women) patients with a mean age of 41.8 ± 11.9 years. Most (73.8%) patients had a low education level and reported heterosexual practices as the most (91.9%) probable transmission route. HIV-1 subtypes were detected in 26 patients: 18 (69.2%) infected with subtype C, six (23.1%) infected with subtype B and two (7.7%) infected with BC recombinant forms.
These data highlight the increasing number of HIV-1 subtype C infections in the countryside of South Brazil.