1. Origin and evolution of subtype B variants in the former Soviet Union countries.
- Author
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Mustafa A, Akbay B, Davlidova S, Abidi SH, and Ali S
- Subjects
- Humans, Phylogeny, USSR epidemiology, Europe, Eastern epidemiology, Europe, HIV Infections epidemiology
- Abstract
Contrary to the global trend, between 2010 and 2020, an increase of 43% new HIV infections was recorded in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Analyses of phylogenetic relationship, and routes and modes of transmission of the HIV-1 subtype B across the former Soviet Union (FSU) region are currently lacking. The objective of this analysis was to investigate the origin and transmission routes of HIV subtype B in FSU countries. We performed phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses using 21,007 publicly available subtype B sequences from Europe and Asia, including thirteen FSU countries. Our study suggests that B
FSU strain evolved more recently in FSU countries (Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan) compared to the Western B variant in Western Europe (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland). The primary high-risk group responsible for the transmission of subtype B was found to be MSM/homosexual. Intermixing of phylogenetic clusters among high-risk groups and bridging with the general population indicated that the HIV epidemic is no longer confined to distinct key populations - emphasizing an urgent need to improve the HIV harm-reduction efforts among high risk as well as general populations., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)- Published
- 2023
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