Molecular evidence that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 dissemination in a small Brazilian city was already taking place in the early 1990s

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2007 Aug;102(5):647-9. doi: 10.1590/s0074-02762007000500018.

Abstract

We recently performed a molecular epidemiology survey of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in Miracema, a small city in Southeast Brazil, and found multiple monophyletic clusters, consistent with independent introductions and spread of different viral lineages in the city. Here we apply Bayesian coalescent-based methods to the two largest subtype B clusters and estimate that the most recent common ancestors that gave rise to these two transmission chains were in circulation around 1991-1992. The finding that HIV-1 spread in this Brazilian small city was already taking place at a time Aids was considered a problem restricted to large urban centers may have important public health implications.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bayes Theorem
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Cluster Analysis
  • HIV Infections / epidemiology*
  • HIV Infections / virology
  • HIV-1 / classification
  • HIV-1 / genetics*
  • Humans