Author/Editor     Babič, Dunja
Title     Molecular identification of the Slovenian isolates of human immunodeficiency virus
Type     monografija
Place     Ljubljana
Publisher     Univerza v Ljubljani, Medicinska fakulteta
Publication year     2006
Volume     str. 106
Language     slo
Abstract     The present work represents the first systematic molecular epidemiological study of the genetic diversity of the Slovenian isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The doctoral thesis consists of three studies. The first study was conducted on a cohort representing 88% (131/149) of all HIV-1 infected patients diagnosed between 1996 and 2005. The retrospective molecular epidemiological study revealed that subtype B is a predominant HIV-1 subtype in Slovenia (110/131; 84%), although a relatively high proportion (21/131; 16%) of non-B subtypes was found. In contrast to the majority of European countries, a substantial proportion of recombinant and unclassified strains (48% and 38%, respectively) was found among non-B subtypes. Additionally, a statistically significant association between the mode of transmission and subtype HIV-1 was identified. Namely, the patients who acquired HIV-1 infection by homo/bisexual contacts harbored only the subtype B viruses, while the non-B subtype infections were associated with HIV-1 acquired through heterosexual contacts. Importantly, 86% (18/21) of patients infected with non-B subtypes were of Slovenian nationality. In contrast to a recent increase in the proportion of HIV-1 infections acquired through heterosexual contact recognized in all Western European countries, an unexpected and statistically significant increase in the proportion of men who have sex with men was observed among the newly diagnosed HIV-1 infected patients during the last four years. An analogous, but statistically insignificant increase in the proportion of subtype B infections among the newly diagnosed HIV-1 infected patients was observed in the same period. Additionally, we investigated the genetic variability of gag and env regions of 20 randomly selected Slovenian HIV-1 isolates. (Abstract truncated at 2000 characters)
Descriptors     ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME
HIV-1
EPIDEMIOLOGY, MOLECULAR
GENES, ENV
GENES, GAG
AMINO ACID SEQUENCE
ANTI-HIV AGENTS
GENES, POL
MUTATION
DRUG RESISTANCE, MICROBIAL
DNA, VIRAL
BASE SEQUENCE
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION