Open AccessMolecular epidemiology of a primarily MSM acute HIV‐1 cohort in Bangkok, Thailand and connections within networks of transmission in Asia
Author(s) -
Chang David,
SandersBuell Eric,
Bose Meera,
O'Sullivan Anne Marie,
Pham Phuc,
Kroon Eugene,
Colby Donn J,
Sirijatuphat Rujipas,
Billings Erik,
Pinyakorn Suteeraporn,
Chomchey Nitiya,
Rutvisuttinunt Wiriya,
Kijak Gustavo,
Souza Mark,
Excler JeanLouis,
Phanuphak Praphan,
Phanuphak Nittaya,
O'Connell Robert J,
Kim Jerome H,
Robb Merlin L,
Michael Nelson L,
Ananworanich Jintanat,
Tovanabutra Sodsai
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of the international aids society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.724
H-Index - 62
ISSN - 1758-2652
DOI - 10.1002/jia2.25204
Subject(s) - phylogenetic tree , cohort , transmission (telecommunications) , virology , molecular epidemiology , genetic diversity , biology , men who have sex with men , medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , demography , genetics , genotype , gene , population , environmental health , syphilis , sociology , electrical engineering , engineering
Thailand plays a substantial role in global HIV ‐1 transmission of CRF 01_ AE . Worldwide, men who have sex with men ( MSM ) are at elevated risk for HIV ‐1 infection. Hence, understanding HIV ‐1 diversity in a primarily Thai MSM cohort with acute infection, and its connections to the broader HIV ‐1 transmission network in Asia is crucial for research and development of HIV ‐1 vaccines, treatment and cure. Methods Subtypes and diversity of infecting viruses from individuals sampled from 2009 to 2015 within the RV 254/ SEARCH 010 cohort were assessed by multiregion hybridization assay ( MHA bce), multiregion subtype‐specific PCR assay ( MSSP bce) and full‐length single‐genome sequencing ( SGS ). Phylogenetic analysis was performed by maximum likelihood. Pairwise genetic distances of envelope gp160 sequences obtained from the cohort and from Asia (Los Alamos National Laboratory HIV Database) were calculated to identify potential transmission networks. Results MHA bce/ MSSP bce results identified 81.6% CRF 01_ AE infecting strains in RV 254. CRF 01_ AE /B recombinants and subtype B were found at 7.3% and 2.8% respectively. Western subtype B strains outnumbered Thai B′ strains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed one C, one CRF 01_ AE / CRF 02_ AG recombinant and one CRF01_AE/B/C recombinant. Asian network analysis identified one hundred and twenty‐three clusters, including five clusters of RV 254 participants. None of the RV 254 sequences clustered with non‐ RV 254 sequences. The largest international cluster involved 15 CRF 01_ AE strains from China and Vietnam. The remaining clusters were mostly intracountry connections, of which 31.7% included Thai nodes and 43.1% included Chinese nodes. Conclusion While the majority of strains in Thailand are CRF 01_ AE and subtype B, emergence of unique recombinant forms ( URF s) are found in a moderate fraction of new HIV ‐1 infections. Approaches to vaccine design and immunotherapeutics will need to monitor and consider the expanding proportion of recombinants and the increasing genetic diversity in the region. Identified HIV ‐1 transmission networks indicate ongoing spread of HIV ‐1 among MSM . As HIV ‐1 epidemics continue to expand in other Asian countries, transmission network analyses can inform strategies for prevention, intervention, treatment and cure.