[Molecular and epidemiological characterization of HIV-infection in the Altai Territory].

The genetic analysis of the variants of HIV, type 1, circulating in the Altai Territory was made. The results obtained with the use of the serological analysis and the method of the comparative evaluation of the electrophoretic mobility of heteroduplexes demonstrated that almost all analyzed samples (98.3%) belonged to subtype A. Genetic differences between these viruses did not exceed 9.20%. Moreover, 86.8% of them contained mutation V771 in the protease-coding area. Thus, HIV of subtype A, characteristic of CIS countries and containing mutation V771, may be regarded as the dominating viruses in the Altai Territory and not the viruses of subtypes B, C or A/E, typical of comparatively less remote China.

[Molecular genetic characteristics of HIV-1 in Russia]. / Molekuliarno-geneticheskaia kharakteristika VICh-1 na territorii Rossii.

The paper presents data on the variants of human immunodefficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) currently circulating in Russia. The subtype A HIV-1 variant dominating is shown to be most widespread among drug-injected users in the most regions under study. By using the results of an analysis of 1,464 blood samples taken in the past 4 years in 69 subjects of the Russian Federation, the authors have estimated that this HIV-1 variant is responsible for 93% of all HIV-infection cases in the country. The greatest regional genetic diversity was observed in Moscow and its mean (2.35(1.59) was found to be comparable to that (2.41(1.85) in the whole country. Penetration of the subtype A IV-1 variant early detectable among drug-users into other risk groups was noted.

[The epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus-caused infection among users of psychotropic preparations in Russia]. / Epidemiia infektsii, vyzyvaemoi virusom immunodefitsita cheloveka, sredi potrebitelei psikhotropnykh preparatov v Rossii.

The development of the epidemic of HIV infection among the intravenous injecting users of psychotropic substances in Russia in 1994-1999 is described on the basis of the data provided by territorial centers for the prevention and control of AIDS. In addition, the results of the screening in individual groups of the population of Russia for antibodies to HIV, carried out at the period of 1994 to the first half of 1999, are presented. In 1999 a considerable rise in the number of newly detected cases of HIV infection, mainly among persons injecting psychotropic drugs intravenously for non-medical purposes, was noted. The conclusion was made that the spread of HIV among drug addicts led to its passage to other groups of the population, mainly by heterosexual transmission.

[A genetic analysis of variants of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) circulating among drug abusers in Moscow and Moscow Province]. / Geneticheskii analiz variantov virusa immunodefitsita cheloveka tipa 1 (VICh-1), tsirkuliruiushchikh sredi narkomanov v Moskve i Moskovskoi oblasti.

The genetic analysis of the variants of human immunodeficiency virus of type 1 (HIV-1), circulating among drug addicts in Moscow and Moscow Province, has been carried out. The serological analysis of 122 blood specimens taken from HIV-infected drug addicts, residing in Moscow and 22 settlements of the Moscow region, has shown that in this region HIV-1 variant of subtype A spreads among drug addicts. These data have been confirmed by the results of the analysis of 44 specimens, made with the use of the method of the heteroduplex mobility assay for gene env. As revealed in this study, HIV-1 variants spreading at present among drug addicts in Moscow and the Moscow region are genetically related to viruses of subtype A, detected earlier in this group of risk in other regions of Russia, the Ukraine, Belarus and other countries of Eastern Europe.

[Nucleotide sequence of gag and env genes of human immunodeficiency virus type 1, found in Russia: detection of new recombinant variants]. / Nukleotidnye posledovatelnosti genov gag i env izoliatov virusa immunodefitsita cheloveka tipa 1, vyisvlennykh v Rossii: obnaruzhenie novykh rekombinantnykh variantov.

Phylogenetic analysis of nucleotide sequences of gag and env genes of type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) variants isolated from individuals infected through sexual intercourse or nosocomially (by injections with nonsterile syringes) showed that 5 of 27 (18.5%) isolated strains were recombinants. Two viruses found in the Russian Far East had gagAenvE genotype, three other recombinants had envG genotype; gag gene of one isolate belonged to subtype A and gag genes of two others belonged to subtype D. Detection of new recombinant variants in addition to the A/B recombinant described previously shows that these viruses can contribute to the HIV-1 genetic variability in Russia.

[HIV-1 subtypes in Russia in 1987-1988]. / Subtipy VICh-1 v Rossii v 1987--1998 gg.

The subtyping of 350 isolates of HIV-1, isolated on the territories of 38 subjects of the Russian Federation, was carried out. The analysis was made by the method of the comparative heteroduplex mobility assay, as well as by the determination of the sequence of genes env [correction of ens] (gp 120) and gag (p17-p24). The study revealed that more than 50% of all cases of HIV-1 infection were caused by closely related variants of subtype A virus. The number of cases of HIV-1 infection caused by recombinant virus A/B was not less than 25%. The total number of cases caused by viruses of subtypes C, D, E, F and H was not more than 5%.

[Recombinant human immunodeficiency viruses]. / Rekombinantnye virusy immunodefitsita cheloveka.

Three types of recombinant human immunodeficiency virus have been found to circulate in Russia. The first type of the virus belongs to genotype gagAenvB, the second type belongs to genotype gagDenvG and the third type, to genotype gagAenvE. The virus of genotype gagAenvB circUlates in the population of drug addicts simultaneously with its "parent" viruses of genotypes gagAenvA and gagBenvB. The recombinant variant gagDenvG has African origin. The recombinant variant gagAenvE has probably been imported to Russia from South-East Asia.

[Comparative analysis of distribution of mutant alleles of the gene coding for the CCR-5 chemokine receptor, among people in Russia, infected and not infected with HIV-1]. / Sravnitel'nyi analiz rasprostraneniia mutantnogo allelia gena, kodiruiushchego khemokinovyi retseptor CCR-5, sredi infitsirovannykh i neinfitsirovannykh VICh-1 lits v Rossii.

Comparative analysis of the distribution of deletion mutations of CC-chemokine receptor 5 (CCR-5) gene among HIV-1 infected and not infected subjects in Russia showed the incidence of the heterozygous genotype to be 17.8% among both HIV-infected and seronegative subjects. The incidence of the homozygous genotype for the deletion among seronegative individuals was 0.6%, but no homozygotes were found among HIV-1 infected patients. Study of the incidence of the mutant CCR-5 allele among patients infected with different HIV-1 subtypes showed that the susceptibility of heterozygotes to HIV-1 infection was not associated with any special genetic subtype.

[Genetic characteristics of variants of human immunodeficiency virus type 1, causing an epidemic among substance abusers in Commonwealth of Independent States countries]. / Geneticheskaia kharakteristika variantov virusa immunodefitsita cheloveka 1-go tipa, vyzvavshikh épidemiiu sredi narkomanov v stranakh SNG.

Gag/env nucleotide sequences of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) variants detected in drug users in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus are analyzed. Two HIV-1 subtypes A and B circulate in this risk group. Genetic variability within one subtype is no higher than 3.1 and 3.9% for gag and env genes, respectively, suggesting the same source of infection in populations of drug users infected with the same subtype. Recombinant viruses with gagAenvB genotype, genetically related to parental strains of subtypes A and B, circulate in this risk group. This is the first report about HIV-1 recombinant of the two subtypes, for which both parental strains are known, directly confirming the in vivo recombination between different subtypes.

[Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 isolates circulating in Russia]. / Genotipirovanie i filogeneticheskii analiz izoliatov VICh-1, tsirkuliruiushchikh v Rossii.

HIV-1 genetic subtypes were analyzed by the heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA) in 125 samples derived in 1995-1996 from residents of the European part of Russia. The results indicate the prevalence of six subtypes (A, B, C, D, G, and H) in the Russian Federation, with four types (A, B, C, and G) predominating (95%). The viruses belonging to subtypes A, B, and C spread via heterosexual contacts, subtype B mainly through homosexual intercourse. The majority of subtype G isolates are epidemiologically linked with previously reported nosocomial infection of children and their mothers with HIV-1 in Southern Russia. Nucleotide sequence analysis of env encoded region confirmed the results of HMA.