HIV Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about HIV, including details on human immunodeficiency virus, testing, treatment, prevention, vaccines, aids.

Women infected with HIV type 1 Brazilian variant, subtype B (B'-GWGR motif) have slower progression to AIDS, compared with patients infected with subtype B (B-GPGR motif).

de Brito A, Komninakis SC, Novoa P, de Oliveira RM, Fonseca LA, Duarte AJ, Casseb J

Laboratory of Allergy and Clinical and Experimental Immunology, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: The Brazilian variant of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 (HIV-1) subtype B (serotype B'-GWGR) has a tryptophan replacing a proline in position 328 of the HIV-1 envelope, a feature that may induce a different HIV disease progression. We aimed to evaluate the role of the B subtypes of HIV-1 (serotypes B-GPGR and B'-GWGR) on HIV disease progression. METHODS: A total of 137 HIV-infected individuals who had been admitted to the hospital were tested with an anti-V3 serologic assay, using peptides representing 2 HIV-1 subtype B strains, MN and SF2, and 2 Brazilian variant B'-GWGR strains, BR1 and BR2. RESULTS: Of 137 serum samples tested with the anti-V3 serologic assay, 4 (3%) yielded indeterminate results, 74 (54%; from 25 women and 49 men) were found to be B-GPGR, and 59 (43%; from 20 women and 39 men) were found to be the B'-GWGR variant. In general, a longer interval from the first known positive HIV test result to an AIDS-defining event was observed in the B'-GWGR group than in the B-GPGR group (21 vs. 7 months). The CD4+ T cell counts were higher in the B'-GWGR group (median CD4+ T cell count, 65 vs. 31 cells/mm3; P=.01), and women infected with the B'-GWGR variant were less likely to die than were men infected with the same variant (P=.01). The median viral load in the B'-GWGR group was 3.395 copies/mL, compared with 39.350 copies/mL in the B-GPGR group (P=.01). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results indicate that B'-GWGR-infected women may have more-favorable outcomes than B-GPGR-infected subjects.

Published 3 November 2006 in Clin Infect Dis, 43(11): 1476-81.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 HIV Research Today. All Rights Reserved.