Analysis of HIV-1 sequences before and after co-infecting syphilis

Microbes Infect. 2006 Nov-Dec;8(14-15):2872-9. doi: 10.1016/j.micinf.2006.09.003. Epub 2006 Oct 23.

Abstract

Increasing syphilis incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been reported. The index case was a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-positive MSM who presented coincidentally with the secondary syphilis and a rebound of plasma viral load after complete suppression of HIV-1 (below 50 copies/ml) for 13 months with potent antiretroviral therapy (PART), suggesting a possibility of HIV-1 superinfection. We analyzed HIV-1 sequences before and after syphilis in four HIV-1-positive patients including the index case to explore drug resistance mutations (DRMs) and a possibility of HIV-1 superinfection. There were patients who obtained DRMs around syphilis infection but no evidence of HIV-1 superinfection was obtained. Our results underline the importance of strict adherence to PART.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Base Sequence
  • Drug Resistance, Viral / genetics
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / genetics
  • HIV Infections / complications*
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy
  • HIV Protease / genetics
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase / genetics
  • HIV-1 / drug effects
  • HIV-1 / genetics*
  • Homosexuality, Male
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Open Reading Frames / genetics
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis
  • Superinfection*
  • Syphilis / complications*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • Anti-Retroviral Agents
  • HIV Envelope Protein gp120
  • HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321)
  • Peptide Fragments
  • HIV Reverse Transcriptase
  • HIV Protease