GENETIC DIVERSITY OF HIV

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus (Fam: Retroviri dae), which is the causative agent of the devastating AIDS pandemics c urrently affecting millions of human beings. HIV rapidly evolves by se veral molecular mechanisms, such as mutation, hypermutation, insertion s and deletions and recombination; all process actively contributing t o its genetic diversity. This rapid evolutionary process, assisted by the rapid transmission through human populations, poses a significant challenge to the effective monitoring of HIV variation and AIDS contro l. Herein, the implications of genetic diversity related to the pathog enesis of HIV infection are addressed. The potential problems in its r eliable detection by the antibody screening tests in current use, the role of a global genotyping surveillance, efforts to trace the progres s of the worldwide epidemic and tile rationale for future vaccines and drug trials will be discussed.