Article
Molecular Epidemiology of HIV-1 among Prisoners in Central Brazil and Evidence of Transmission Clusters
Registro en:
TANAKA, Tayana Serpa Ortiz et al. Molecular Epidemiology of HIV-1 among Prisoners in Central Brazil and Evidence of Transmission Clusters. Viruses, v. 14, 1660, p. 1 - 15, July 2022.
1999-4915
10.3390/v14081660
Autor
Tanaka, Tayana Serpa Ortiz
Cesar, Gabriela Alves
Rezende, Grazielli Rocha de
Puga, Marco Antonio Moreira
Weis-Torres, Sabrina Moreira dos Santos
Bandeira, Larissa Melo
Pompílio, Maurício Antônio
Croda, Julio
Guimarães, Monick Lindenmeyer Guimarães
Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra Motta
Resumen
Higher rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection have been detected in
prisoners when compared with the general population, but research into HIV molecular epidemiology
and its transmission network has been lacking among them. Thus, this study aimed to verify potential
HIV molecular transmission networks among prisoners. In addition, we aimed to describe the
mutations related to antiretroviral resistance in these isolates. Thus, we conducted a cross-sectional
survey from 2013 to 2018 in prisons in Central-Western Brazil, and the final sampling composed of
84 prisoners. Proviral DNA was extracted from each whole blood sample followed by amplification
of the partial polymerase gene and sequencing. Forty-nine sequences (58.3%) were classified as
subtype B, followed by C (14.3%), D, and F1 (2.4% each). A complex and dynamic HIV-1 epidemic
is observed in the prisons, as 25% of the sequences were recombinant forms. We detected 15 HIV
transmission clusters composed of at least two sequences, that included not only prisoners but also
individuals from the general population from the same State with a variety of risk behaviors. Thirtytwo
percent (32.0%) of treatment-experienced prisoners had at least one drug resistance mutation
(DRM), while transmitted DRMs were found in 5.9% of the prisoners. We highlight the urgent need
for routine surveillance of HIV-1 infection including resistance genotypic tests considering the high
disease burden, risky behaviors inside prisons, and the dynamic relationship of prisoners with the
outside community.