Correction: Prevalence and spatiotemporal dynamics of HIV-1 Circulating Recombinant Form 03_AB (CRF03_AB) in the Former Soviet Union countries.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241269.].

Prevalence and spatiotemporal dynamics of HIV-1 Circulating Recombinant Form 03_AB (CRF03_AB) in the Former Soviet Union countries.

BACKGROUND: HIV-1 circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) infections has been increasing in Former Soviet Union (FSU) countries in the recent decade. One is the CRF03_AB, which circulated in the region since late 1990s and probably became widespread in northwestern FSU countries. However, there is not much information provided about the dissemination of this recombinant. Here, we examine the prevalence, evolutionary dynamics and dispersion pattern of HIV-1 CRF03_AB recombinant. METHODS: We analyzed 32 independent studies and 151 HIV-1 CRF03_AB pol sequences isolated from different FSU countries over a period of 22 years. Pooled prevalence was estimated using a random effects model. Bayesian coalescent-based method was used to estimate the evolutionary, phylogeographic and demographic parameters. RESULTS: Our meta-analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of CRF03_AB infection in northwestern FSU region was 5.9% [95%CI: 4.1-7.8]. Lithuania (11.6%), Russia (5.9%) and Belarus (2.9%) were the most affected by CRF03_AB. We found that early region wide spread of HIV-1 CRF03_AB originated from one viral clade that arose in the city of Kaliningrad in 1992 [95%HPD: 1990-1995]. Fourteen migration route of this variant were found. The city of Kaliningrad is involved in most of these, confirming its leading role in CRF03_AB spread within FSU. Demographic reconstruction point to this is that CRF03_AB clade seems to have experienced an exponential growth until the mid-2000s and a decrease in recent years. CONCLUSION: These data provide new insights into the molecular epidemiology of CRF03_AB as well as contributing to the fundamental understanding of HIV epidemic in FSU.

Genetic Variants of HIV Type 1 in Men Who Have Sex with Men in Russia.

The men who have sex with men (MSM) population infected with HIV is poorly studied in Russia because of stigma and discrimination. In the first years of the HIV epidemic, the only HIV genetic variant that circulated among MSM was subtype B, usually acquired abroad. Meanwhile, the massive epidemic of HIV in Russia was caused by a highly homogenic subtype A variant, AFSU (A6), and spread mainly among drug users. In this study, 155 HIV pol sequences from MSM collected during the 2006-2016 period were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis found that 19.4% of the viral sequences from MSM clustered with HIV genetic variants A6 and BFSU, which were previously identified only among drug users and their heterosexual partners. These data show that the MSM population in Russia is gradually becoming less isolated from the general epidemic process. Urgent measures should be taken to prevent the spread of HIV among the MSM population.