SIMULTANEOUS INTRODUCTION OF DISTINCT HIV-1 SUBTYPES INTO DIFFERENT RISK GROUPS IN RUSSIA, BYELORUSSIA AND LITHUANIA

Objective: To investigate genotypes and serotypes of HIV-1 variants in Russia, Byelorussia and Lithuania. Patients and methods: Sera from 20 HIV-l-infected individuals were tested in an enzyme-linked immunosorb ent assay (ELISA) with 19 V3 synthetic peptides, and serum HIV-1 V3 RN A was amplified and sequenced. Results: Sequence comparison of the env elope V3 region among specimens tested revealed a 2-29% range of nucle otide divergence, with a mean of 19%. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the V3 sequences recovered with subtypes A, B, C, D and G. All sequenc es from the homosexual men were shown to belong to subtype B, and all of the heterosexually infected individuals to subtype C. Sequences fro m the parenterally infected individuals were more heterogeneous. In th e peptide ELISA three reactivity patterns were found. Serum samples fr om six out of seven homosexual men showed reactivity to peptides p108 or p110 representing V3 amino-acid sequences found in US/West European HIV-1 isolates. Serum samples from six out of seven individuals who h ad acquired HIV-1 through heterosexual contacts were reactive to pepti de p169. Four out of six parenterally infected patients had peak react ivity to p168. Conclusion: Distinct HIV-1 variants were found in Russi a, Byelorussia and Lithuania, which were introduced simultaneously in the mid-1980s. This diversity was shown to be associated with the rout e of transmission. Homosexual men appeared to be infected with subtype B and heterosexually infected individuals with subtype C HIV-1 varian ts. HIV-1 subtypes A, C, D and G were found among parenterally infecte d individuals.