Prevalence of transmitted antiretroviral resistance and distribution of HIV-1 subtypes among patients with recent infection in Catalonia (Spain) between 2003 and 2005

Abstract

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of transmitted HIV-1 drug resistances (TDR) and HIV-1 subtypes in recently infected patients in Catalonia between 2003 and 2005 and to describe the characteristics of these patients according to the presence or absence of TDR and HIV-1 subtype.

Methods: After application of the Serological Testing Algorithm for Recent HIV Seroconversion (STARHS), residual aliquots of serum samples from recently infected antiretroviral-naïve individuals were genotyped. FASTA sequences were analyzed using the HIVDB Program. The World Health Organization 2009 List of Mutations for Surveillance of Transmitted HIV-1 Drug Resistant HIV Strains was used to estimate the prevalence of TDR.

Results: Of 182 recently infected patients, 14 (7.7%) presented TDR. Seven (3.8%) had genotypic evidence of TDR against non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, 6 (3.3%) against nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, 3 (1.6%) against protease inhibitors (PIs), and only 2 individuals (1.1%) presented TDR against more than one class of drugs. Thirty-five (19.2%) patients were infected with a non-B HIV-1 subtype.

Conclusion: This is the first study to estimate the prevalence of TDR in recently infected patients in Catalonia. The results are similar to those of studies performed in other Spanish regions. Correct monitoring of these parameters requires systematic epidemiologic surveillance of transmitted resistance.