HIV-1 reverse transcriptase drug-resistance mutations in chronically infected individuals receiving or naïve to HAART in Cameroon.

The most common first-line, highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) received by individuals infected with HIV-1 in Cameroon is the combination therapy Triomune, comprised of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) and one non-NRTI (NNRTI). To examine the efficacy of these drugs in Cameroon, where diverse non-B HIV-1 subtypes and recombinant viruses predominate, the reverse transcriptase (RT) viral sequences in patient plasma were analyzed for the presence of mutations that confer drug resistance. Forty-nine HIV-1-positive individuals were randomly selected from those receiving care in HIV/AIDS outpatient clinics in the South-West and North-West Regions of Cameroon.

Genetic analysis of HIV-1 strains in rural eastern Cameroon indicates the evolution of second-generation recombinants to circulating recombinant forms.

The HIV-1 genetic diversity in most parts of Cameroon is well described and shown to be very broad. However, little is known about the composition of the HIV-1 epidemic in the rural parts of eastern Cameroon. Therefore, we investigated 25 specimens from this region for their subtypes in gag, pol, and env gene fragments.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) circulating recombinant form 02_AG (CRF02_AG) has a higher in vitro replicative capacity than its parental subtypes A and G.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) circulating recombinant form (CRF) 02_AG is the predominant subtype in Cameroon, even more prevalent than the parental subtypes A and G. An important question that needs to be addressed is whether recombination in HIV-1 infection can lead to the emergence of viruses with biological advantages. The replicative capacity was investigated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 13 R5-tropic primary HIV-1 isolates, including 5 CRF02_AG, 4 subtype A, and 4 subtype G viruses.

HIV-1 CRF09_cpx circulates in the North West Province of Cameroon where CRF02_AG infections predominate and recombinant strains are common.

This study describes the HIV-1 genetic diversity that currently circulates in Bamenda, the provincial capital of the North West province of Cameroon. Phylogenetic analysis of the protease (pro) gene of 20 HIV-1-seropositive individuals identified 11 (55%) CRF02_AG, one D, one F2, one J, and four (20%) unclassifiable strains. Interestingly, the remaining two (10%) samples, 02CMNYU3072 and 03CMNYU3224, originating from epidemiologically unlinked individuals, were classified as CRF09_cpx, representing the first reported cases of this complex circulating recombinant form (CRF) in Cameroon.

Infection with HIV type 1 group M non-B subtypes in individuals living in New York City.

Objective: To document infection with HIV type 1 (HIV-1) group M non-B subtypes in individuals living in New York City.

Design: From October 1999 through April 2003, HIV-1-seropositive individuals were selected from 3 clinics in New York City based on having risk factors for infection with HIV-1 non-B subtypes.

Methods: HIV-1 RNA was extracted from plasma samples, and partial gag, pol, or env genes were amplified by PCR analysis.