In recent years, the increase of migration from countries where human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) is endemic to industrialized countries has facilitated the spread of the virus in individuals previously unexposed to this threat. In this report, we performed a phylogenetic analysis on pol and env sequences of HIV-2 strains identified in foreigners and native citizens to trace the origin of infection. All but one of the 17 pol gene sequences were classified as group A. HIV-2 strains were aggregated in several clusters depending by the country of origin and/or infection. One patient (1AA) was classified as being infected with a recombinant between HIV-2 group A and HIV-2 group B, because the pol gene sequence was clearly in the group A, but an env V3 region sequence from this patient was more similar to group B viruses. Therefore, it is urgent to strengthen the surveillance and use adequate molecular virological tools to diagnose and monitor HIV-2 infection.
An HIV type 2 case series in Italy: a phylogenetic analysis / D'Ettorre, Gabriella; Alessandra Lo, Presti; Caterina, Gori; Cella, Eleonora; Ada, Bertoli; Vullo, Vincenzo; Carlo Federico, Perno; Marco, Ciotti; Brian Thomas, Foley; M., Hiv 2 Study Group Ciccozzi. - In: AIDS RESEARCH AND HUMAN RETROVIRUSES. - ISSN 0889-2229. - STAMPA. - 29:9(2013), pp. 1254-1259. [10.1089/aid.2013.0091]
An HIV type 2 case series in Italy: a phylogenetic analysis.
D'ETTORRE, Gabriella;CELLA, ELEONORA;VULLO, Vincenzo;
2013
Abstract
In recent years, the increase of migration from countries where human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) is endemic to industrialized countries has facilitated the spread of the virus in individuals previously unexposed to this threat. In this report, we performed a phylogenetic analysis on pol and env sequences of HIV-2 strains identified in foreigners and native citizens to trace the origin of infection. All but one of the 17 pol gene sequences were classified as group A. HIV-2 strains were aggregated in several clusters depending by the country of origin and/or infection. One patient (1AA) was classified as being infected with a recombinant between HIV-2 group A and HIV-2 group B, because the pol gene sequence was clearly in the group A, but an env V3 region sequence from this patient was more similar to group B viruses. Therefore, it is urgent to strengthen the surveillance and use adequate molecular virological tools to diagnose and monitor HIV-2 infection.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
