Search

Monitoring genetic diversity and recent HIV infections (RHIs) is critical for understanding HIV epidemiology. Here, we report HIV-1 genetic diversity and RHIs in blood samples from 190 HIV-positive MMSCs in Zhuhai, China. MMSCs with newly reported HIV were enrolled from January 2020 to June 2022. A nested PCR was performed to amplify the HIV polymerase gene fragments at HXB2 positions 2604-3606. We constructed genetic transmission network at both 0.5% and 1.5% distance thresholds using the Tamura-Nei93 model. RHIs were identified using a recent infection testing algorithm (RITA) combining limiting antigen avidity enzyme immunoassay (LAg-EIA) assay with clinical data. The results revealed that 19.5% (37/190) were RHIs and 48.4% (92/190) were CRF07_BC. Two clusters were identified at a 0.5% distance threshold. Among them, one was infected with CRF07_BC for the long term, and the other was infected with CRF55_01B recently. We identified a total of 15 clusters at a 1.5% distance threshold. Among them, nine were infected with CRF07_BC subtype, and RHIs were found in 38.8% (19/49) distributed in eight genetic clusters. We identified a large active transmission cluster (n = 10) infected with a genetic variant, CRF79_0107. The multivariable logistic regression model showed that clusters were more likely to be RHIs (adjusted OR: 3.64, 95% CI: 1.51 similar to 9.01). The RHI algorithm can help to identify recent or ongoing transmission clusters where the prevention tools are mostly needed. Prompt public health measures are needed to contain the further spread of active transmission clusters.

Outsourcing the k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN) classifier to the cloud is useful, yet it will lead to serious privacy leakage due to sensitive outsourced data and models. In this paper, we design, implement and evaluate a new system employing an outsourced privacy-preserving kNN Classifier Model based on Multi-Key Homomorphic Encryption (kNNCM-MKHE). We firstly propose a security protocol based on Multi-key Brakerski-Gentry-Vaikuntanathan (BGV) for collaborative evaluation of the kNN classifier provided by multiple model owners. Analyze the operations of kNN and extract basic operations, such as addition, multiplication, and comparison. It supports the computation of encrypted data with different public keys. At the same time, we further design a new scheme that outsources evaluation works to a third-party evaluator who should not have access to the models and data. In the evaluation process, each model owner encrypts the model and uploads the encrypted models to the evaluator. After receiving encrypted the kNN classifier and the user’s inputs, the evaluator calculated the aggregated results. The evaluator will perform a secure computing protocol to aggregate the number of each class label. Then, it sends the class labels with their associated counts to the user. Each model owner and user encrypt the result together. No information will be disclosed to the evaluator. The experimental results show that our new system can securely allow multiple model owners to delegate the evaluation of kNN classifier.