RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Characterisation of HIV-1 molecular transmission clusters among newly diagnosed individuals infected with non-B subtypes in Italy
JF Sexually Transmitted Infections
JO Sex Transm Infect
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 619
OP 625
DO 10.1136/sextrans-2019-054017
VO 95
IS 8
A1 Lavinia Fabeni
A1 Claudia Alteri
A1 Giulia Berno
A1 Rossana Scutari
A1 Nicoletta Orchi
A1 Gabriella De Carli
A1 Ada Bertoli
A1 Luca Carioti
A1 Caterina Gori
A1 Federica Forbici
A1 Romina Salpini
A1 Alessandra Vergori
A1 Roberta Gagliardini
A1 Stefania Cicalini
A1 Annalisa Mondi
A1 Carmela Pinnetti
A1 Laura Mazzuti
A1 Ombretta Turriziani
A1 Manuela Colafigli
A1 Vanni Borghi
A1 Francesco Montella
A1 Alfredo Pennica
A1 Miriam Lichtner
A1 Enrico Girardi
A1 Massimo Andreoni
A1 Cristina Mussini
A1 Andrea Antinori
A1 Francesca Ceccherini-Silberstein
A1 Carlo Federico Perno
A1 Maria Mercedes Santoro
A1 ,
YR 2019
UL http://sti.bmj.com/content/95/8/619.abstract
AB Objective We evaluated the characteristics of HIV-1 molecular transmission clusters (MTCs) in 1890 newly diagnosed individuals infected with non-B subtypes between 2005 and 2017 in Italy.Methods Phylogenetic analyses were performed on pol sequences to characterise subtypes/circulating recombinant forms and identify MTCs. MTCs were divided into small (SMTCs, 2–3 sequences), medium (MMTCs, 4–9 sequences) and large (LMTCs, ≥10 sequences). Factors associated with MTCs were evaluated using logistic regression analysis.Results 145 MTCs were identified and involved 666 individuals (35.2%); 319 of them (16.9%) were included in 13 LMTCs, 111 (5.9%) in 20 MMTCs and 236 (12.5%) in 112 SMTCs. Compared with individuals out of MTCs, individuals involved in MTCs were prevalently Italian (72.7% vs 30.9%, p<0.001), male (82.9% vs 62.3%, p<0.001) and men who have sex with men (MSM) (43.5% vs 14.5%, p<0.001). Individuals in MTCs were also younger (median (IQR) years: 41 (35–49) vs 43 (36–51), p<0.001) and had higher CD4 cell count in comparison with individuals out of MTCs (median (IQR): 109/L: 0.4 (0.265–0.587) vs 0.246 (0.082–0.417), p<0.001). The viral load remained stable between the two groups (median (IQR) log10 copies/mL: 4.8 (4.2–5.5) vs 5.0 (4.3–5.5), p=0.87). Logistic regression confirmed that certain factors such as being MSM, of Italian origin, younger age and higher CD4 cell count were significantly associated with MTCs.Conclusions Our findings show that HIV-1 newly diagnosed individuals infected with non-B subtypes are involved in several MTCs in Italy. These MTCs include mainly Italians and MSM and highlight the complex phenomenon characterising the HIV-1 spread. This is important especially in view of monitoring the HIV epidemic and guiding the public health response.