Analysis of HIV type 1 protease and reverse transcriptase sequences from Venezuela for drug resistance-associated mutations and subtype classification: A UNAIDS study

We report the first study on prevalence of antiretroviral drug-associated r esistance mutations in Venezuela, Protease and reverse transcriptase (RT) c oding regions were analyzed in DNA samples obtained from 100 HIV-1-infected individuals. Primary resistance mutations to RT inhibitors were identified in 26% of patients treated with these drugs, Transmission of HIV-1-resista nt strains was detected in a drug-naive patient (3%), Primary resistance mu tations to protease inhibitors (PIs) were present in 9% of the 44 PI-treate d patients and in 1 PI-naive individual. Phylogenetic analysis of these sam ples has resulted in the most extensive survey, to date, of HIV-1 genetic f orms circulating in Venezuela, Ninety-nine samples clustered with subtype B , and 1 individual harbored the first B/F recombinant virus reported in Ven ezuela, with protease clustering with subtype F and RT with subtype B, In a ddition, this isolate had a new insertion (Glu-34 duplication) in the prote ase gene.