HIV type 1 subtypes among bar and hotel workers in Moshi, Tanzania.
Kiwelu, Ireen E;
Renjifo, Boris;
Chaplin, Beth;
Sam, Noel;
Nkya, Watoky MMM;
Shao, John;
Kapiga, Saidi;
Essex, Max;
(2003)
HIV type 1 subtypes among bar and hotel workers in Moshi, Tanzania.
AIDS research and human retroviruses, 19 (1).
pp. 57-64.
ISSN 0889-2229
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/08892220360473970
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The HIV-1 prevalence among bar and hotel workers in Tanzania suggests they are a high-risk group for HIV-1 infection. We determined the HIV-1 subtype of 3'-p24/5'-p7 gag and C2-C5 env sequences from 40 individuals representing this population in Moshi. Genetic patterns composed of A(gag)-A(env), C(gag)-C(env), and D(gag)-D(env) were found in 19 (48.0%), 8 (20.0%), and 3 (8.0%) samples, respectively. The remaining 10 samples (25%) had different subtypes in gag and env, indicative of intersubtype recombinants. Among these recombinants, two contained sequences from HIV-1 subsubtype A2, a new genetic variant in Tanzania. Five bar and hotel workers may have been infected with viruses from a common source, based on phylogenetic analysis. The information obtained by surveillance of HIV-1 subtypes in a high-risk population should be useful in the design and evaluation of behavioral, therapeutic, and vaccine trial interventions aimed at reducing HIV-1 transmission.
