Infecting HIV-1 Subtype Predicts Disease Progression in Women of Sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction: Long-term natural history cohorts of HIV-1 in the absence of treatment provide the virulence by different viral subtypes. Methods: Newly HIV infected Ugandan and Zimbabwean women (N = 303) were recruited and clinical, social, behavioral, immunological and viral parameters for 3 to 9.5 years. Results: Ugandan and Zimbabwe an women infected with HIV-1 subtype C had 2.5-fold slower declines and higher frequencies of long-term non-progression than those infected with model, P < 0.001), a difference not associated with any other clinical parameters. Relative and entry efficiency of HIV-1 variants directly correlated with virulence in the patients, (P < 0.001, ANOVA). Discussion: HIV-1 subtype C was less virulent than either A or D in humans; the latter being the Longer periods of asymptomatic HIV-1 subtype C could explain the continued expansion and type C in the global epidemic. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.