HIV-1 is Spreading Out of Former High-Risk Population Through Heterosexual Transmission in Hebei, China

Introduction: Multiple specific populations, including MSMs, IDUs, and FPDs, are involved in HIV epidemic in China. In the recent years, HIV transmission due to heterosexual transmission also contributed greatly to HIV epidemic in China. Very few studies have been fulfilled to characterize relationships of HIV-1 strains prevalent in different populations. In this study, the phylogenetic relationships of HIV-1 spreading in different populations were investigated. Materials and Methods: HIV-1 sero-positive patients infected through different routes were enrolled into the study. Nested RT-PCR was used to amplify HIV gag and pol genes followed by sequencing. Results: Multiple subtypes, including subtype B (52.1%), CRF01_AE (34.4%), CRF07_BC (6.3%), subtype C (4.2%), CRF02_AG (1.0%), CRF08_BC (1.0%) and unique recombination forms (1.0%) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that strains from MSM, IDU, and FPDs grouped into clusters separately. However, strains identified in heterosexual transmitted population intermixed with all of other high risk populations. Discussion and Conclusion: The genetic data supposed that HIV-1 was spreading out of MSMs, IDUs, and FPDs through heterosexual transmission in Hebei, China. Urgent prevention and behavior intervention in the population will be necessary. Furthermore, the detailed sequence data will help the design of HIV-1 vaccines in China. Sequence Data: All of sequences have been deposited into the GenBank with the accession number: KJ820007-KJ820144.