Title | Transmission of Non-B HIV Subtypes in the United Kingdom Is Increasingly Driven by Large Non-Heterosexual Transmission Clusters |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2016 |
Authors | Ragonnet-Cronin M, Lycett S, Hodcroft E, Hue S, Fearnhill E, Brown A, Delpech V, Dunn DT, Leigh Brown A |
Journal | J Infect Dis |
Volume | 213 |
Pagination | 1410-8 |
Date Published | 2016-05 |
ISBN Number | 0022-1899 |
Accession Number | 26704616 |
Keywords | clusters, crossover, epidemiology, heterosexual, Hiv, Msm, phylogenetics, Phylogeny, Pwid, subtypes |
Abstract | BACKGROUND: The United Kingdom human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic was historically dominated by HIV subtype B transmission among men who have sex with men (MSM). Now 50% of diagnoses and prevalent infections are among heterosexual individuals and mainly involve non-B subtypes. Between 2002 and 2010, the prevalence of non-B diagnoses among MSM increased from 5.4% to 17%, and this study focused on the drivers of this change. METHODS: Growth between 2007 and 2009 in transmission clusters among 14 000 subtype A1, C, D, and G sequences from the United Kingdom HIV Drug Resistance Database was analysed by risk group. RESULTS: Of 1148 clusters containing at least 2 sequences in 2007, >75% were pairs and >90% were heterosexual. Most clusters (71.4%) did not grow during the study period. Growth was significantly lower for small clusters and higher for clusters of >/=7 sequences, with the highest growth observed for clusters comprising sequences from MSM and people who inject drugs (PWID). Risk group (P< .0001), cluster size (P< .0001), and subtype (P< .01) were predictive of growth in a generalized linear model. DISCUSSION: Despite the increase in non-B subtypes associated with heterosexual transmission, MSM and PWID are at risk for non-B infections. Crossover of subtype C from heterosexuals to MSM has led to the expansion of this subtype within the United Kingdom. |
Short Title | The Journal of infectious diseases |
Alternate Journal | The Journal of infectious diseases |