HIV type 1 subtypes B and C from new regions of India and Indian and Ethiopian expatriates in Kuwait.

ABSTRACT

PIP HIV-1 subtype B isolates have previously been described in India only in the state of Andhra Pradesh, while subtype C isolates have been reported as widespread in the Bombay and Goa regions of India. Gag subtype was determined in HIV-1 isolates from six Indians and one Ethiopian. One Indian was a native of Goa residing in Kuwait, and the others were natives of Bihar, Haryana, West Bengal, and New Delhi states. Five subjects were males aged 20-26 years. The remaining two subjects were females aged 34 and 40. Four of the men acquired HIV through sexual transmission; the other man was presumably infected through contaminated blood. Six isolates were identified as subtype C and one as subtype B. These preliminary findings obtained by arranging the HIV-1 gag sequences according to their similarity score were confirmed by cladogram and nested analysis. HIV-1 subtype C isolates are therefore present in Bombay and Goa as well as in other regions of northern and eastern India. The subtype has also infected Indian and Ethiopian expatriates living in Kuwait.^ieng