Survey of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Protease Gene Drug Resistance among HIV-infected Patients in an Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS

Authors
Kazem Baesi 1
Mehrdad Ravanshad 1
Maryam Ghanbari Safari 2
Esmaeil Saberfar 3
Mahboubeh Hajiabdolbaghi 4
1 Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Nanobiotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
3 Virology Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
4 AIDS Research Center, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Objective: The use of antiretroviral drugs has proven remarkably effective in controlling the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, but these benefits can be compromised by the development of drug resistance. This study aims to assess the drug resistance profile of the Pr gene in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated and naïve HIV-1 infected patients.
Methods: A total of 30 samples from naïve and 16 samples of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated patients were collected and divided into two groups. After RNA extraction, RT nested PCR was performed. The final products were sequenced and then analyzed for drug-resistant mutations and subtypes.
Results: No drug resistant mutations were noted in group one that have never used drug, but 40% of group two samples which are under treatment contained drug resistant mutations. According to the results, the following subtypes were seen among patients: A (50%), B (40.6%), D (6.2%), and C (3.2%).
Conclusion: Transmission of drug-resistant viruses and their detection are very important epidemiologically. However our data and other studies suggest that other PIs should be replaced by LPV in the HAART regime.
Keywords
AIDS
Mutation
Drug resistance
protease
Assessing subtype and drug-resistance-associated mutations among antiretroviral-treated HIV-infected patients-Hamkar R, Mohraz M, Lorestani S, Aghakhani A, Truong HM, McFarland W, Banifazl M, Eslamifar A, Foroughi M, Pakfetrat A, Ramezani A. [Link]
Pathobiology Research
Volume 14, Issue 4
Winter 2012
Pages 13-20