Gashnikova, N.M., Bocharov, E.F., Gladky, P.A., Topchin, Yu.A., Pokrovsky, A.G.

Molecular epidemiological analysis of the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the Novosibirsk region

Institute of Molecular Biology of State Research Center of Virology and Biotechnology “Vector”, Koltsovo, Novosibirsk region, Regional Center for Control and Prevention of AIDS, Novosibirsk, Russia

The dynamics of the spread of individual subtypes of type 1 HIV (HIV-1), circulating in the Novosibirsk region during the epidemic rise of HIV infection was under study. The epidemic of HIV-1 in Novosibirsk has a pattern similar to that in Russia as a whole. At the initial stage of epidemics multiple sources of virus determine the heterogeneity of the isolated subtypes of HIV-1. Then the parenteral route of HIV transmission, co

ected with the intravenous use of narcotic drugs, becomes dominant. Recently the spread of HIV-1 from the group of intravenous drug users to other groups of the population has been observed. In the circulation of HIV-1 among drug users the leading role was shown to belong to subtype A, which ensures its rapid spread and dominating role in the epidemic process. Further spread of the HIV-1 epidemic is expected to proceed in parallel to the spread of viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases and drug addiction. Thus, HIV-1, subtype A, may be assumed to be dominant in the Novosibirsk region in the nearest future.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2004, No. 3, P. 30—34