Increasing Frequency and Transmission of HIV-1 Non-B Subtypes Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study
Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: In Switzerland, HIV-1 transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been dominated by subtype B, whilst non-B subtypes are commonly attributed to infections acquired abroad among heterosexuals. Here, we evaluated the temporal trends of non-B subtypes and the characteristics of molecular transmission clusters (MTCs) among MSM. METHODS: Sociodemographic and clinical data and partial pol sequences were obtained from participants enrolled in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study. For non-B subtypes, maximum likelihood trees were constructed, from which Swiss MTCs were identified and analyzed by transmission group. RESULTS: Non-B subtypes were identified in 8.1% (416/5116) of MSM participants. CRF01_AE was the most prevalent strain (3.5%), followed by subtype A (1.2%), F (1.1%), CRF02_AG (1.1%), C (0.9%), and G (0.3%). Between 1990 and 2019, an increase in the proportion of newly diagnosed individuals (0/123 [0%] to 11/32 [34%]) with non-B subtypes in MSM was found. Across all non-B subtypes, the majority of MSM MTCs were European. Larger MTCs were observed for MSM than heterosexuals. CONCLUSIONS: We found a substantial increase in HIV-1 non-B subtypes among MSM in Switzerland and the occurrence of large MTCs, highlighting the importance of molecular surveillance in guiding public health strategies targeting the HIV-1 epidemic.
Authors: Jessy J Duran Ramirez, Tala Ballouz, Huyen Nguyen, Katharina Kusejko, Sandra E Chaudron, Michael Huber, Hans H Hirsch, Matthieu Perreau, Alban Ramette, Sabine Yerly, Matthias Cavassini, Marcel Stöckle, Hansjakob Furrer, Pietro Vernazza, Enos Bernasconi, Huldrych F Günthard, Roger D Kouyos, Swiss HIV Cohort Study, K Aebi-Popp, A Anagnostopoulos, M Battegay, E Bernasconi, J Böni, D L Braun, H C Bucher, A Calmy, M Cavassini, A Ciuffi, G Dollenmaier, M Egger, L Elzi, J Fehr, J Fellay, H Furrer, C A Fux, H F Günthard, D Haerry, B Hasse, H H Hirsch, M Hoffmann, I Hösli, M Huber, C R Kahlert, L Kaiser, O Keiser, T Klimkait, R D Kouyos, H Kovari, K Kusejko, B Ledergerber, G Martinetti, B Martinez de Tejada, C Marzolini, K J Metzner, N Müller, D Nicca, P Paioni, G Pantaleo, M Perreau, A Rauch, C Rudin, P Schmid, R Speck, M Stöckle, P Tarr, A Trkola, P Vernazza, G Wandeler, R Weber, S Yerly
Institutions: University of Zurich, University Hospital Zurich, University of Basel, University Hospital of Basel, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, University of Lausanne, University of Bern, University of Geneva, University Hospital of Geneva, University Hospital of Bern, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, Ospedale regionale di Lugano
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Awards: Using transmission networks for assessing and guiding prevention efforts in hiv, HIV-1 Transmission in Switzerland: viral transmission traits, superinfection and drug resistance, Lower Cretaceous Ostracoda of Israel, HIV-1 integration sites and their impact on HIV-1 pathogenesis, Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS), Combining molecular epidemiology approaches and mathematical models for the spread of HIV and its coinfections
OpenAlex ID: W3181983453