1. Genomic Detection of the Emerging, Highly Pathogenic HIV-1 Subtype D in Bahia, Northeast Brazil
- Author
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Filipe Ferreira de Almeida Rego, Laise de Moraes, Marta Giovanetti, José Adriano Góes Silva, Felipe Guimarães Torres, Marcio de Oliveira Silva, Maria da Purificação Pereira da Silva, Johan Van Weyenbergh, Luciane Amorim Santos, and Ricardo Khouri
- Subjects
HIV-1 subtype D ,phylodynamics ,genomic surveillance ,Microbiology ,QR1-502 - Abstract
(1) Background: The HIV subtype D is generally associated with a faster decline in CD4+ T cell counts, a higher viral load, and a faster progression to AIDS. However, it is still poorly characterized in Brazil. In this study, we used genomics and epidemiological data to investigate the transmission dynamics of HIV subtype D in the state of Bahia, Northeast Brazil. (2) Methods: To achieve this goal, we obtained four novel HIV-1 subtype D partial pol genome sequences using the Sanger method. To understand the emergence of this novel subtype in the state of Bahia, we used phylodynamic analysis on a dataset comprising 3704 pol genome sequences downloaded from the Los Alamos database. (3) Results: Our analysis revealed three branching patterns, indicating multiple introductions of the HIV-1 subtype D in Brazil from the late 1980s to the late 2000s and a single introduction event in the state of Bahia. Our data further suggest that these introductions most likely originated from European, Eastern African, Western African, and Southern African countries. (4) Conclusion: Understanding the distribution of HIV-1 viral strains and their temporal dynamics is crucial for monitoring the real-time evolution of circulating subtypes and recombinant forms, as well as for designing novel diagnostic and vaccination strategies. We advocate for a shift to active surveillance, to ensure adequate preparedness for future epidemics mediated by emerging viral strains.
- Published
- 2023
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