Abstract
HIV-1 CRF02-AG accounts for >50% of infected individuals in Cameroon. CRF02-AG prevalence has been increasing both in Africa and Europe, particularly in Italy because of migrations from the sub-Saharan region. This study investigated the molecular epidemiology of CRF02-AG in Cameroon by employing Bayesian phylodynamics and analyzed the relationship between HIV-1 CRF02-AG isolates circulating in Italy and those prevalent in Africa to understand the link between the two epidemics. Among 291 Cameroonian reverse transcriptase sequences analyzed, about 70% clustered within three distinct clades, two of which shared a most recent common ancestor, all related to sequences from Western Africa. The major Cameroonian clades emerged during the mid-1970s and slowly spread during the next 30 years. Little or no geographic structure was detected within these clades. One of the major driving forces of the epidemic was likely the high accessibility between locations in Southern Cameroon contributing to the mobility of the population. The remaining Cameroonian sequences and the new strains isolated from Italian patients were interspersed mainly within West and Central African sequences in the tree, indicating a continuous exchange of CRF02-AG viral strains between Cameroon and other African countries, as well as multiple independent introductions in the Italian population. The evaluation of the spread of CRF02-AG may provide significant insight about the future dynamics of the Italian and European epidemic.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1173-1182 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 11 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 1 2011 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Immunology
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
Cite this
Molecular epidemiology of HIV type 1 CRF02-AG in Cameroon and African patients living in Italy. / Véras, Nazle Mendonca Collaço; Santoro, Maria Mercedes; Gray, Rebecca R.; Tatem, Andrew J.; Presti, Alessandra Lo; Olearo, Flaminia; Cappelli, Giulia; Colizzi, Vittorio; Takou, Desiré; Torimiro, Judith; Russo, Gianluca; Callegaro, Annapaola; Salpini, Romina; D'Arrigo, Roberta; Perno, Carlo Federico; Goodenow, Maureen M.; Ciccozzi, Massimo; Salemi, Marco.
In: AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, Vol. 27, No. 11, 01.11.2011, p. 1173-1182.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Molecular epidemiology of HIV type 1 CRF02-AG in Cameroon and African patients living in Italy
AU - Véras, Nazle Mendonca Collaço
AU - Santoro, Maria Mercedes
AU - Gray, Rebecca R.
AU - Tatem, Andrew J.
AU - Presti, Alessandra Lo
AU - Olearo, Flaminia
AU - Cappelli, Giulia
AU - Colizzi, Vittorio
AU - Takou, Desiré
AU - Torimiro, Judith
AU - Russo, Gianluca
AU - Callegaro, Annapaola
AU - Salpini, Romina
AU - D'Arrigo, Roberta
AU - Perno, Carlo Federico
AU - Goodenow, Maureen M.
AU - Ciccozzi, Massimo
AU - Salemi, Marco
PY - 2011/11/1
Y1 - 2011/11/1
N2 - HIV-1 CRF02-AG accounts for >50% of infected individuals in Cameroon. CRF02-AG prevalence has been increasing both in Africa and Europe, particularly in Italy because of migrations from the sub-Saharan region. This study investigated the molecular epidemiology of CRF02-AG in Cameroon by employing Bayesian phylodynamics and analyzed the relationship between HIV-1 CRF02-AG isolates circulating in Italy and those prevalent in Africa to understand the link between the two epidemics. Among 291 Cameroonian reverse transcriptase sequences analyzed, about 70% clustered within three distinct clades, two of which shared a most recent common ancestor, all related to sequences from Western Africa. The major Cameroonian clades emerged during the mid-1970s and slowly spread during the next 30 years. Little or no geographic structure was detected within these clades. One of the major driving forces of the epidemic was likely the high accessibility between locations in Southern Cameroon contributing to the mobility of the population. The remaining Cameroonian sequences and the new strains isolated from Italian patients were interspersed mainly within West and Central African sequences in the tree, indicating a continuous exchange of CRF02-AG viral strains between Cameroon and other African countries, as well as multiple independent introductions in the Italian population. The evaluation of the spread of CRF02-AG may provide significant insight about the future dynamics of the Italian and European epidemic.
AB - HIV-1 CRF02-AG accounts for >50% of infected individuals in Cameroon. CRF02-AG prevalence has been increasing both in Africa and Europe, particularly in Italy because of migrations from the sub-Saharan region. This study investigated the molecular epidemiology of CRF02-AG in Cameroon by employing Bayesian phylodynamics and analyzed the relationship between HIV-1 CRF02-AG isolates circulating in Italy and those prevalent in Africa to understand the link between the two epidemics. Among 291 Cameroonian reverse transcriptase sequences analyzed, about 70% clustered within three distinct clades, two of which shared a most recent common ancestor, all related to sequences from Western Africa. The major Cameroonian clades emerged during the mid-1970s and slowly spread during the next 30 years. Little or no geographic structure was detected within these clades. One of the major driving forces of the epidemic was likely the high accessibility between locations in Southern Cameroon contributing to the mobility of the population. The remaining Cameroonian sequences and the new strains isolated from Italian patients were interspersed mainly within West and Central African sequences in the tree, indicating a continuous exchange of CRF02-AG viral strains between Cameroon and other African countries, as well as multiple independent introductions in the Italian population. The evaluation of the spread of CRF02-AG may provide significant insight about the future dynamics of the Italian and European epidemic.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80655128331&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80655128331&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/aid.2010.0333
DO - 10.1089/aid.2010.0333
M3 - Article
C2 - 21453131
AN - SCOPUS:80655128331
VL - 27
SP - 1173
EP - 1182
JO - AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
JF - AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
SN - 0889-2229
IS - 11
ER -