Genetic Diversity and Drug Resistance Mutations in HIV-1 from Untreated Patients in Niamey, Niger

The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of transmitted resistance to antiretroviral of HIV-1 circulating in Niger. We collected plasmas from 96 drug-naive patients followed up in the main HIV/AIDS Care Center of Niamey, the capital city of Niger. After RNA extraction and retrotranscription to proviral DNA, nested PCR was performed to amplify PR (codons 1–99) and RT (codons 1–240) fragments for sequencing. Sequences were analysed for phylogeny, then for resistance-associated mutations according to IAS-USA and Stanford's lists of mutations. We characterized six HIV-1 genetic variants: CRF02-AG (56.3%), CRF30_0206 (15.6%), subtype G (15.6%), CRF06_cpx (9.4%), CRF11_cpx (2.1%), and CRF01_AE (1%). About 8.3% of HIV strains had at least 1 resistance mutation: 4 strains with at least 1 mutation to NRTI, 5 for NNRTI, and 1 for PI, respectiveley 4.2%, 5.2%, and 1.0%. These preliminary results gave enough information for the need of instauring HIV drug resistance national surveillance.