Prevalence of dual HIV-1 infections in virological failure individuals under HAART
| Grant number: | 09/10915-0 |
| Support type: | Regular Research Grants |
| Duration: | December 01, 2009 - November 30, 2011 |
| Field of knowledge: | Health Sciences - Medicine |
| Principal Investigator: | Luiz Mário Ramos Janini |
| Grantee: | Luiz Mário Ramos Janini |
| Home Institution: | Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV-1, has a large geneticdiversity. In Brazil, the largest circulation of subtypes are B, C andF. All this diversity is a direct result of the incorporation oferrors during viral replication. The ability to diversify the geneticinformation contained in the genome allows the HIV to adapt toselective pressures imposed by the environment where it isreplicating. The immunopathogenesis of the disease itself, in pre-andpost-treatment by using antiretroviral drugs, is influenced by viralgenetic variability. The co-circulation of multiple subtypes andpresence of co-infection or superinfection favors the emergence ofrecombinant viruses between different subtypes of HIV-1, which maymean the selection of a viral structure more appropriate. It isbelieved that the immune response to infection by HIV-1 preventssuperinfection by a second virus. However recent studies havedocumented cases of HIV-1 superinfection in humans either fromdifferent or the same viral subtype. The purpose of this study is toevaluate the presence of dual infection in patients treated withantiretroviral therapy distributed by the National Program of SexuallyTransmitted Diseases (STD-PN) by the Ministry of Health, that may beindicative of such infection. The clarification of this fact may evencontribute to the idealization of new therapeutic and vaccinestrategies. (AU)