[Molecular epidemiological analysis of HIV-1 variants circulating in Russia in 1987-2015]. / Molekuliarno-épidemiologicheskii analiz variantov VICh-1, tsirkulirovavshikh v Rossii v 1987-2015 gg.

AIM: To simultaneously analyze HIV-1 samples from all Russian regions to characterize the epidemiology of HIV infection in the country as a whole. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The most extensive study was conducted to examine nucleotide sequences of the pol gene of HIV-1 samples isolated from HIV-positive persons in different regions of Russia, with the diagnosis date being fixed during 1987-2015. The nucleotide sequences of the HIV-1 genome were analyzed using computer programs and on-line applications to identify a virus subtype and new recombinant forms. RESULTS: The nucleotide sequences of the pol gene were analyzed in 1697 HIV-1 samples and the findings were that the genetic variant subtype A1 (IDU-A) was dominant throughout the entire territory of Russia (in more than 80% of all infection cases). Other virus variants circulating in Russia were analyzed; the phenomenon of the higher distribution of the recombinant form CRF63/02A in Siberia, which had been previously described in the literature, was also confirmed. Four new recombinant forms generated by the virus subtype A1 (IDU-A) and B and two AG recombinant forms were found. There was a larger genetic distance between the viruses of IDU-A variant circulating among the injecting drug users and those infected through heterosexual contact, as well as a change in the viruses of subtype G that caused the outbreak in the south of the country over time in 1988-1989. CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrate continuous HIV-1 genetic variability and recombination over time in Russia, as well as increased genetic diversity with higher HIV infection rates in the population.

[Indicators of the human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance to antiretroviral drugs in HIV-infected individuals in the Siberian Federal District in 2010-2012].

The prevalence of the mutations of resistance to the main three classes of antiretroviral agents in patients receiving antiretroviral therapy was tested. Among the main drug resistance mutations for the entire period of observation was a high frequency of the occurrence M184V mutation, K101E, K103N, Y181C, and G190S influencing the development of the HIV resistance to nucleoside and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. The problems of the practical application of the study of HIV drug resistance in the regions of the Siberian Federal District were emphasized.