Transmitted drug resistance and subtype patterns of viruses from reported new HIV diagnoses in Germany, 2017-2020.

BACKGROUND: The transmission of resistant HIV variants jeopardizes the effective use of antiretrovirals for therapy and prophylaxis. Molecular surveillance of new HIV diagnoses with a focus on prevalence and type of resistance associated mutations and the subtype of circulating viruses is mandatory. METHOD: From 2017 to 2020, 11,527 new HIV diagnoses were reported in Germany to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). Protease (PR) and reverse-transcriptase (RT) sequences were obtained from 4559 (39.6%) cases, and PR, RT and integrase (IN) sequences were obtained from 3097 (26.9%) cases. The sequences were analyzed with data from the national HIV reports. RESULTS: Among all cases in the analysis, the proportion of primary resistance was 4.3% for nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), 9.2% for non-NRTI (NNRTIs), 3.3% for protease inhibitors (PIs) and 1.4% for integrase inhibitors (INIs). Dual-class resistance was highest for NRTIs/NNRTIs with 1.2%. There was no trend in the proportion of viruses resistant to drug classes. Most individual key mutations associated with relevant resistance had a prevalence below 1% including K65R (0.1%) and M184V (0.6%). A notable exception was K103NS, with a prevalence of 2.9% and a significant increase (pTrend=0.024) during 2017-2020. In this period, diagnoses of infections with HIV-1 subtype B were the most common at 58.7%, but its prevalence was declining (pTrend=0.049) while the frequency of minority subtypes (each < 1%) increased (pTrend=0.007). Subtype B was highest (75.6%) in men who have sex with men (MSM) and lowest in reported heterosexual transmissions (HETs, 22.6%). CONCLUSION: The percentage of primary resistance was high but at a stable level. A genotypic determination of resistance is therefore still required before the start of therapy. The subtype diversity of circulating HIV-1 is increasing.

[Evaluating the introduction of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis as a benefit of statutory health insurance (EvE-PrEP) : Highly effective protection against HIV without an increase in sexually transmitted infections]. / Evaluation der Einführung der HIV-Präexpositionsprophylaxe als Leistung der gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung (EvE­PrEP) : Hocheffektiver Schutz vor HIV und keine Zunahme von sexuell übertragbaren Infektionen.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the impact of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as a new service of the statutory health insurance (SHI) on the incidence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Germany. In addition, PrEP needs and access barriers were analyzed. METHODS: The following data were evaluated as part of the evaluation project: HIV and syphilis notification data and extended surveillance by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), pharmacy prescription data, SHI routine data, PrEP use in HIV-specialty care centers, Checkpoint, the BRAHMS and PrApp studies, as well as a community board. RESULTS: The majority of PrEP users were male (98-99%), primarily aged between 25-45 years, and predominantly of German nationality or origin (67-82%). The majority were men who have sex with men (99%). With regard to HIV infections, PrEP proved to be highly effective. There were only isolated cases of HIV infections (HIV incidence rate 0.08/100 person years); in most cases the suspected reason was low adherence. The incidences of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis did not increase but remained almost the same or even decreased. A need for information on PrEP for people in trans*/non-binary communities, sex workers, migrants, and drug users emerged. Needs-based services for target groups at increased risk of HIV are necessary. DISCUSSION: PrEP proved to be a very effective HIV prevention method. The partly feared indirect negative influences on STI rates were not confirmed in this study. Due to the temporal overlap with the containment measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, a longer observation period would be desirable for a conclusive assessment.

Decreasing prevalence and stagnating incidence of Hepatitis C-co-infection among a cohort of HIV-1-positive patients, with a majority of men who have sex with men, in Germany, 1996-2019.

Co-infection with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) among HIV-positive patients leads to accelerated progression of liver disease and AIDS. Due to increased HCV prevalence and incidence, co-infection requires monitoring trends among HIV-positive individuals. This will help target prevention strategies and support to reach the global goals of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat. In this analysis HCV prevalence and incidence were determined for the years 1996-2019 from yearly blood samples and questionnaire details among HIV-1-positive patients, with a majority of men who have sex with men, belonging to a nationwide, multicentre observational, prospective cohort study. The results show that HCV prevalence for acute/chronic and resolved infection increased until 2014 to 12%. Since then, prevalence of acute/chronic HCV infection rapidly decreased and prevalence of resolved infections showed a steady increase. HCV incidence was highest in 2010 and lowest in 2017; however, no significant change in HCV incidence could be seen over the years. Therefore, the introduction of directly-acting antiviral agents for HCV treatment notably decreased prevalence and potentially incidence of acute/chronic HCV infection. Nevertheless, prevalence and incidence of HCV among these HIV-1-positive study participants remain high compared with the general population and justify the need for continuous HCV prevention and treatment efforts among HIV-positive individuals.

PERV induces CXCL10 in human monocytes and monocyte-derived primary cells.

INTRODUCTION: Pigs are suitable donor species for xenotransplantation and biological materials from these animals are used for this purpose for many years. A major risk of xenotransplantation is a zoonosis by transspecies transmission of animal viruses. In this regard Porcine Endogenous Retroviruses (PERVs) are of paramount importance because some of them are able to infect human cells and could induce innate immune responses. METHODS: Using a replication competent polytropic PERV-A/C strain we have analysed induction of innate immune responses by this virus in human monocytes, Monocyte-Derived Macrophages (MDM) and Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells (MDDC). RESULTS: PERV-A/C elevates expression of the C-X-C motif chemokine 10 (CXCL10) up to 1000-fold in human monocytes and monocyte-derived primary cells. In comparison to CXCL10, the levels of interferon-ß (IFN-ß) and Interferon-Stimulated Gene 54 (ISG54) were almost unchanged. Heat-inactivated virus did not induce CXCL10 expression. Neither treatment with the reverse transcriptase inhibitors azidothymidine (AZT) and stavudine (d4T) nor treatment with the integrase inhibitor raltegravir (RAL) reduced the activation levels. Furthermore, depletion of SAM domain and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1), a restriction factor that blocks PERV-A/C infection at the level of reverse transcription in these myeloid cells, had no significant effect on the CXCL10 induction level. These results imply that innate immune sensing leading to the strong CXCL10 response occurs at an early step of the replication process and does not require products of reverse transcription. Inhibition of Janus Kinases (JAKs) by AT9283 prevented the observed CXCL10 induction by the virus providing evidence that the JAK-STAT signalling pathway is involved in the CXCL10 response in theses myeloid cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight PERVs as inducers of the pro-inflammatory chemokine CXCL10 and other innate immune responses in human monocytes and derived cells with potential implications in the context of xenotransplantation.

The impact of regional socioeconomic deprivation on the timing of HIV diagnosis: a cross-sectional study in Germany.

BACKGROUND: HIV infections which are diagnosed at advanced stages are associated with significantly poorer health outcomes. In Germany, the proportion of persons living with HIV who are diagnosed at later stages has remained continuously high. This study examined the impact of regional socioeconomic deprivation on the timing of HIV diagnosis. METHODS: We used data from the national statutory notification of newly diagnosed HIV infections between 2011 and 2018 with further information on the timing of diagnosis determined by the BED-Capture-ELISA test (BED-CEIA) and diagnosing physicians. Data on regional socioeconomic deprivation were derived from the German Index of Socioeconomic Deprivation (GISD). Outcome measures were a non-recent infection based on the BED-CEIA result or an infection at the stage of AIDS. The effect of socioeconomic deprivation on the timing of diagnosis was analysed using multivariable Poisson regression models with cluster-robust error variance. RESULTS: Overall, 67.5% (n = 10,810) of the persons were diagnosed with a non-recent infection and 15.2% (n = 2746) with AIDS. The proportions were higher among persons with heterosexual contact compared to men who have sex with men (MSM) (76.8% non-recent and 14.9% AIDS vs. 61.7% non-recent and 11.4% AIDS). MSM living in highly deprived regions in the countryside (< 100 k residents) were more likely to have a non-recent infection (aPR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.05-1.28) as well as AIDS (aPR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.08-1.85) at the time of diagnosis compared to MSM in less deprived regions in the countryside. No differences were observed among MSM from towns (100 k ≤ 1 million residents) or major cities (≥ 1 million residents), and no differences overall in the heterosexual transmission group. CONCLUSIONS: An effect of socioeconomic deprivation on the timing of HIV diagnosis was found only in MSM from countryside regions. We suggest that efforts in promoting HIV awareness and regular HIV testing are increased for heterosexual persons irrespective of socioeconomic background, and for MSM with a focus on those living in deprived regions in the countryside.

Vpx enhances innate immune responses independently of SAMHD1 during HIV-1 infection.

BACKGROUND: The genomes of HIV-2 and some SIV strains contain the accessory gene vpx, which carries out several functions during infection, including the downregulation of SAMHD1. Vpx is also commonly used in experiments to increase HIV-1 infection efficiency in myeloid cells, particularly in studies that investigate the activation of antiviral pathways. However, the potential effects of Vpx on cellular innate immune signaling is not completely understood. We investigated whether and how Vpx affects ISG responses in monocytic cell lines and MDMs during HIV-1 infection. RESULTS: HIV-1 infection at excessively high virus doses can induce ISG activation, although at the expense of high levels of cell death. At equal infection levels, the ISG response is potentiated by the presence of Vpx and requires the initiation of reverse transcription. The interaction of Vpx with the DCAF1 adaptor protein is important for the enhanced response, implicating Vpx-mediated degradation of a host factor. Cells lacking SAMHD1 show similarly augmented responses, suggesting an effect that is independent of SAMHD1 degradation. Overcoming SAMHD1 restriction in MDMs to reach equal infection levels with viruses containing and lacking Vpx reveals a novel function of Vpx in elevating innate immune responses. CONCLUSIONS: Vpx likely has as yet undefined roles in infected cells. Our results demonstrate that Vpx enhances ISG responses in myeloid cell lines and primary cells independently of its ability to degrade SAMHD1. These findings have implications for innate immunity studies in myeloid cells that use Vpx delivery with HIV-1 infection.

Correction to: HIV-1 IN/Pol recruits LEDGF/p75 into viral particles.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Correction to: LEDGINs inhibit late stage HIV-1 replication by modulating integrase multimerization in the virions.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Reconstruction of the Genetic History and the Current Spread of HIV-1 Subtype A in Germany.

HIV-1 non-B infections have been increasing in Europe for several years. In Germany, subtype A belongs to the most abundant non-B subtypes showing an increasing prevalence of 8.3% among new infections in 2016. Here we trace the origin and examine the current spread of the German HIV-1 subtype A epidemic. Bayesian coalescence and birth-death analyses were performed with 180 German HIV-1 pol sequences and 528 related and publicly available sequences to reconstruct the population dynamics and fluctuations for each of the transmission groups. Our reconstructions indicate two distinct sources of the German subtype A epidemic, with an Eastern European and an Eastern African lineage both cocirculating in the country. A total of 13 German-origin clusters were identified; among these, 6 clusters showed recent activity. Introductions leading to further countrywide spread originated predominantly from Eastern Africa when introduced before 2005. Since 2005, however, spreading introductions have occurred exclusively within the Eastern European clade. Moreover, we observed changes in the main route of subtype A transmission. The beginning of the German epidemic (1985 to 1995) was dominated by heterosexual transmission of the Eastern African lineage. Since 2005, transmissions among German men who have sex with men (MSM) have been increasing and have been associated with the Eastern European lineage. Infections among people who inject drugs dominated between 1998 and 2005. Our findings on HIV-1 subtype A infections provide new insights into the spread of this virus and extend the understanding of the HIV epidemic in Germany.IMPORTANCE HIV-1 subtype A is the second most prevalent subtype worldwide, with a high prevalence in Eastern Africa and Eastern Europe. However, an increase of non-B infections, including subtype A infections, has been observed in Germany and other European countries. There has simultaneously been an increased flow of refugees into Europe and especially into Germany, raising the question of whether the surge in non-B infections resulted from this increased immigration or whether German transmission chains are mainly involved. This study is the first comprehensive subtype A study from a western European country analyzing in detail its phylogenetic origin, the impact of various transmission routes, and its current spread. The results and conclusions presented provide new and substantial insights for virologists, epidemiologists, and the general public health sector. In this regard, they should be useful to those authorities responsible for developing public health intervention strategies to combat the further spread of HIV/AIDS.

Galectin-1 interacts with the human endogenous retroviral envelope protein syncytin-2 and potentiates trophoblast fusion in humans.

Syncytin (Syn)-2 is an important fusogenic protein that contributes to the formation of the placental syncytiotrophoblast. Galectin (Gal)-1, a soluble lectin, is also involved in trophoblast cell fusion and modulates the interaction of certain retroviral envelopes with their cellular receptor. This study aimed to investigate the association between Syn-2 and Gal-1 during human trophoblast cell fusion. This association was evaluated in vitro on primary villous cytotrophoblasts (vCTBs) and cell lines using recombinant Gal-1 and Syn-2-pseudotyped viruses. Using lactose, a Gal antagonist, and Gal-1-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfections, we confirmed the implication of Gal-1 in vCTBs and BeWo cell fusion, although RT-PCR and ELISA analyses suggested that Gal-1 alone did not induce syncytialization. Infection assays showed a specific and significant effect of Gal-1 on the infectivity of Syn-2-pseudotyped viruses that depended on the expression of major facilitator superfamily domain-containing 2A (MFSD2a). Moreover, Gal-3, another placental Gal, did not modulate the infectivity of Syn-2-positive viruses, strengthening the specific association between Gal-1 and Syn-2. Interestingly, Gal-1 significantly reduced the infectivity of Syn-1-pseudotyped viruses, suggesting the opposite effects of Gal-1 on Syn-1 and -2. Finally, coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed a glycan-dependent interaction between Syn-2-bearing virions and Gal-1. We conclude that Gal-1 specifically interacts with Syn-2 and possibly regulates Syn-2/MFSD2a interaction during syncytialization of trophoblastic cells.-Toudic, C., Vargas, A., Xiao, Y., St-Pierre, G., Bannert, N., Lafond, J., Rassart, É., Sato, S., Barbeau, B. Galectin-1 interacts with the human endogenous retroviral envelope protein syncytin-2 and potentiates trophoblast fusion in humans.

Correction: Viral genetic variation accounts for a third of variability in HIV-1 set-point viral load in Europe.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2001855.].

Viral genetic variation accounts for a third of variability in HIV-1 set-point viral load in Europe.

HIV-1 set-point viral load-the approximately stable value of viraemia in the first years of chronic infection-is a strong predictor of clinical outcome and is highly variable across infected individuals. To better understand HIV-1 pathogenesis and the evolution of the viral population, we must quantify the heritability of set-point viral load, which is the fraction of variation in this phenotype attributable to viral genetic variation. However, current estimates of heritability vary widely, from 6% to 59%. Here we used a dataset of 2,028 seroconverters infected between 1985 and 2013 from 5 European countries (Belgium, Switzerland, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and estimated the heritability of set-point viral load at 31% (CI 15%-43%). Specifically, heritability was measured using models of character evolution describing how viral load evolves on the phylogeny of whole-genome viral sequences. In contrast to previous studies, (i) we measured viral loads using standardized assays on a sample collected in a strict time window of 6 to 24 months after infection, from which the viral genome was also sequenced; (ii) we compared 2 models of character evolution, the classical "Brownian motion" model and another model ("Ornstein-Uhlenbeck") that includes stabilising selection on viral load; (iii) we controlled for covariates, including age and sex, which may inflate estimates of heritability; and (iv) we developed a goodness of fit test based on the correlation of viral loads in cherries of the phylogenetic tree, showing that both models of character evolution fit the data well. An overall heritability of 31% (CI 15%-43%) is consistent with other studies based on regression of viral load in donor-recipient pairs. Thus, about a third of variation in HIV-1 virulence is attributable to viral genetic variation.

Comparative multi-assay evaluation of Determine™ HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab Combo rapid diagnostic tests in acute and chronic HIV infection.

In resource-limited or point-of-care settings, rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), that aim to simultaneously detect HIV antibodies and p24 capsid (p24CA) antigen with high sensitivity, can pose important alternatives to screen for early infections. We evaluated the performance of the antibody and antigen components of the old and novel version of the Determine™ HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab Combo RDTs in parallel to quantifications in a fourth-generation antigen/antibody immunoassay (4G-EIA), p24CA antigen immunoassay (p24CA-EIA), immunoblots, and nucleic acid quantification. We included plasma samples of acute, treatment-naïve HIV-1 infections (Fiebig stages I-VI, subtypes A1, B, C, F, CRF02_AG, CRF02_AE, URF) or chronic HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. The tests' antigen component was evaluated also for a panel of subtype B HIV-1 transmitted/founder (T/F) viruses, HIV-2 strains and HIV-2 primary isolates. Furthermore, we assessed the analytical sensitivity of the RDTs to detect p24CA using a highly purified HIV-1NL4-3 p24CA standard. We found that 77% of plasma samples from acutely infected, immunoblot-negative HIV-1 patients in Fiebig stages II-III were identified by the new RDT, while only 25% scored positive in the old RDT. Both RDTs reacted to all samples from chronically HIV-1-infected and acutely HIV-1-infected patients with positive immunoblots. All specimens from chronically infected HIV-2 patients scored positive in the new RDT. Of note, the sensitivity of the RDTs to detect recombinant p24CA from a subtype B virus ranged between 50 and 200 pg/mL, mirrored also by the detection of HIV-1 T/F viruses only at antigen concentrations tenfold higher than suggested by the manufacturer. The RTD failed to recognize any of the HIV-2 viruses tested. Our results indicate that the new version of the Determine™ HIV-1/2 Ag/Ab Combo displays an increased sensitivity to detect HIV-1 p24CA-positive, immunoblot-negative plasma samples compared to the precursor version. The sensitivity of 4G-EIA and p24CA-EIA to detect the major structural HIV antigen, and thus to diagnose acute infections prior to seroconversion, is still superior.

Human SAMHD1 restricts the xenotransplantation relevant porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) in non-dividing cells.

The release of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) particles from pig cells is a potential risk factor during xenotransplantation by way of productively infecting the human transplant recipient. Potential countermeasures against PERV replication are restriction factors that block retroviral replication. SAMHD1 is a triphosphohydrolase that depletes the cellular pool of dNTPs in non-cycling cells starving retroviral reverse transcription. We investigated the antiviral activity of human SAMHD1 against PERV and found that SAMHD1 potently restricts its reverse transcription in human monocytes, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC), or macrophages (MDM) and in monocytic THP-1 cells. Degradation of SAMHD1 by SIVmac Vpx or CRISPR/Cas9 knock-out of SAMHD1 allowed for PERV reverse transcription. Addition of deoxynucleosides alleviated the SAMHD1-mediated restriction suggesting that SAMHD1-mediated degradation of dNTPs restricts PERV replication in these human immune cells. In conclusion, our findings highlight SAMHD1 as a potential barrier to PERV transmission from pig transplants to human recipients during xenotransplantation.

HIV-1 molecular transmission clusters in nine European countries and Canada: association with demographic and clinical factors.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of HIV-1 molecular transmission clusters (MTCs) is important, especially in large-scale datasets, for designing prevention programmes and public health intervention strategies. We used a large-scale HIV-1 sequence dataset from nine European HIV cohorts and one Canadian, to identify MTCs and investigate factors associated with the probability of belonging to MTCs. METHODS: To identify MTCs, we applied maximum likelihood inferences on partial pol sequences from 8955 HIV-positive individuals linked to demographic and clinical data. MTCs were defined using two different criteria: clusters with bootstrap support >75% (phylogenetic confidence criterion) and clusters consisting of sequences from a specific region at a proportion of >75% (geographic criterion) compared to the total number of sequences within the network. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors associated with MTC clustering. RESULTS: Although 3700 (41%) sequences belonged to MTCs, proportions differed substantially by country and subtype, ranging from 7% among UK subtype C sequences to 63% among German subtype B sequences. The probability of belonging to an MTC was independently less likely for women than men (OR = 0.66; P < 0.001), older individuals (OR = 0.79 per 10-year increase in age; P < 0.001) and people of non-white ethnicity (OR = 0.44; P < 0.001 and OR = 0.70; P = 0.002 for black and 'other' versus white, respectively). It was also more likely among men who have sex with men (MSM) than other risk groups (OR = 0.62; P < 0.001 and OR = 0.69; P = 0.002 for people who inject drugs, and sex between men and women, respectively), subtype B (ORs 0.36-0.70 for A, C, CRF01 and CRF02 versus B; all P < 0.05), having a well-estimated date of seroconversion (OR = 1.44; P < 0.001), a later calendar year of sampling (ORs 2.01-2.61 for all post-2002 periods versus pre-2002; all P < 0.01), and being naïve to antiretroviral therapy at sampling (OR = 1.19; P = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: A high proportion (>40%) of individuals belonged to MTCs. Notably, the HIV epidemic dispersal appears to be driven by subtype B viruses spread within MSM networks. Expansion of regional epidemics seems mainly associated with recent MTCs, rather than the growth of older, established ones. This information is important for designing prevention and public health intervention strategies.

Characterization of a hepatitis C virus genotype 1 divergent isolate from an HIV-1 coinfected individual in Germany assigned to a new subtype 1o.

BACKGROUND: HCV exhibits a high genetic diversity and is classified into 7 genotypes which are further divided into 86 confirmed subtypes. However, there are multiple isolates with unassigned subtypes. We aimed to amplify and characterize the full-length genome sequence of an HCV genotype 1 (HCV-1) divergent isolate (DE/17-0414) in Germany. METHODS: The HCV infection was detected in an HIV-1-positive German female within an HCV/HIV-coinfection study using a commercially available antigen-antibody HCV ELISA kit and confirmed by an in-house quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay. Preliminary genotyping was done by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis on partial NS5B region. The full-length genome sequence was determined by consensus RT-PCR assays. Resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) were analyzed using the web-based tool Geno2pheno[HCV]. RESULTS: Partial NS5B region of the isolate DE/17-0414 showed more than 95% identity to 73-08460349-1 l and HCV_Fr_003 from France and QC316 from Canada. Full-length genome analysis of the DE/17-0414 strain showed 91.8% identity to QC316 but less than 79.6% to other HCV-1 strains. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that DE/17-0414, 73-08460349-1 l, HCV_Fr_003, and QC316 formed a separate subcluster within HCV-1. DE/17-0414 had a distinct 3 amino acids insertion at the N-terminal of hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) within viral envelope glycoprotein 2 (E2) and several potential antiviral RASs among the NS3 and NS5A genes. CONCLUSIONS: We identified and analyzed an HCV-1 divergent isolate derived from an HIV-1 coinfected individual in Germany, which will be assigned to a new HCV-subtype 1o. Our understanding of the origin and transmission dynamics of this new subtype 1o requires further assessments from patients worldwide.

Piloting a surveillance system for HIV drug resistance in the European Union.

BackgroundA steady increase in HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) has been demonstrated globally in individuals initiating first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART). To support effective use of ART and prevent spread of HIVDR, monitoring is essential.AimWe piloted a surveillance system for transmitted HIVDR to assess the feasibility of implementation at the European level.MethodAll 31 countries in the European Union and European Economic Area were invited to retrospectively submit data on individuals newly diagnosed with HIV in 2015 who were tested for antiviral susceptibility before ART, either as case-based or as aggregate data. We used the Stanford HIV database algorithm to translate genetic sequences into levels of drug resistance.ResultsNine countries participated, with six reporting case-based data on 1,680 individuals and four reporting aggregated data on 1,402 cases. Sequence data were available for 1,417 cases: 14.5% of individuals (n = 244) showed resistance to at least one antiretroviral drug. In case-based surveillance, the highest levels of transmitted HIVDR were observed for non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) with resistance detected in 8.6% (n = 145), followed by resistance to nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) (5.1%; n = 85) and protease inhibitors (2.0%; n = 34).ConclusionWe conclude that standard reporting of HIVDR data was feasible in the participating countries. Legal barriers for data sharing, consensus on definitions and standardisation of interpretation algorithms should be clarified in the process of enhancing European-wide HIV surveillance with drug resistance information.

Evaluating the Impact of Functional Genetic Variation on HIV-1 Control.

Background: Previous genetic association studies of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) progression have focused on common human genetic variation ascertained through genome-wide genotyping. Methods: We sought to systematically assess the full spectrum of functional variation in protein coding gene regions on HIV-1 progression through exome sequencing of 1327 individuals. Genetic variants were tested individually and in aggregate across genes and gene sets for an influence on HIV-1 viral load. Results: Multiple single variants within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region were observed to be strongly associated with HIV-1 outcome, consistent with the known impact of classical HLA alleles. However, no single variant or gene located outside of the MHC region was significantly associated with HIV progression. Set-based association testing focusing on genes identified as being essential for HIV replication in genome-wide small interfering RNA (siRNA) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) studies did not reveal any novel associations. Conclusions: These results suggest that exonic variants with large effect sizes are unlikely to have a major contribution to host control of HIV infection.

Molecular evolution of HIV-1 integrase during the 20 years prior to the first approval of integrase inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Detailed knowledge of the evolutionary potential of polymorphic sites in a viral protein is important for understanding the development of drug resistance in the presence of an inhibitor. We therefore set out to analyse the molecular evolution of the HIV-1 subtype B integrase at the inter-patient level in Germany during a 20-year period prior to the first introduction of integrase strand inhibitors (INSTIs). METHODS: We determined 337 HIV-1 integrase subtype B sequences (amino acids 1-278) from stored plasma samples of antiretroviral treatment-naïve individuals newly diagnosed with HIV-1 between 1986 and 2006. Shannon entropy was calculated to determine the variability at each amino acid position. Time trends in the frequency of amino acid variants were identified by linear regression. Direct coupling analysis was applied to detect covarying sites. RESULTS: Twenty-two time trends in the frequency of amino acid variants demonstrated either single amino acid exchanges or variation in the degree of polymorphy. Covariation was observed for 17 amino acid variants with a temporal trend. Some minor INSTI resistance mutations (T124A, V151I, K156 N, T206S, S230 N) and some INSTI-selected mutations (M50I, L101I, T122I, T124 N, T125A, M154I, G193E, V201I) were identified at overall frequencies >5%. Among these, the frequencies of L101I, T122I, and V201I increased over time, whereas the frequency of M154I decreased. Moreover, L101I, T122I, T124A, T125A, M154I, and V201I covaried with non-resistance-associated variants. CONCLUSIONS: Time-trending, covarying polymorphisms indicate that long-term evolutionary changes of the HIV-1 integrase involve defined clusters of possibly structurally or functionally associated sites independent of selective pressure through INSTIs at the inter-patient level. Linkage between polymorphic resistance- and non-resistance-associated sites can impact the selection of INSTI resistance mutations in complex ways. Identification of these sites can help in improving genotypic resistance assays, resistance prediction algorithms, and the development of new integrase inhibitors.

Surveillance of recent HIV infections among newly diagnosed HIV cases in Germany between 2008 and 2014.

BACKGROUND: The HIV surveillance system in Germany is based on mandatory, anonymous notification of newly diagnosed HIV cases by laboratories. Because the time between HIV infection and the diagnosis of HIV varies widely between persons, it is difficult to determine the number of cases of recent HIV infection among newly diagnosed cases of HIV. In Germany, the BED-capture-enzyme immunoassay (BED-CEIA) has been used to distinguish between recent and long-standing HIV infection. The aim of this analysis is to report the proportion of cases of recent HIV infection among newly diagnosed cases in Germany between 2008 and 2014 and to identify factors associated with recent infections. METHODS: A sample of voluntary laboratories among all HIV diagnostic laboratories was recruited. Residual blood from HIV diagnostic tests was spotted on filter paper as dried serum or dried plasma spots and was sent along with the notification form of the HIV cases. The BED-CEIA test was performed. A case was defined as recent HIV infection with a BED-CEIA test result of less than 0.8 normalized optical density, with the exclusion of CDC stage C. The proportion of recent newly diagnosed HIV infections among different groups (such as transmission groups, gender or age groups) was calculated. We used logistic regression to identify factors associated with recent HIV infection and to identify subpopulations with high proportions of recent HIV infections. RESULTS: Approximately 10,257 newly diagnosed cases were tested for recency using the BED-CEIA. In total, 3084 (30.4%) of those were recently infected with HIV. The highest proportion of recent HIV infections was found among men who had sex with men (MSM) (35%) and persons between 18 and 25 years of age (43.0%). Logistic regression revealed that female German intravenous drug users with a recent HIV infection had a higher chance of being detected than German MSM (OR 2.27). CONCLUSIONS: Surveillance of recent HIV infection is a useful additional tool to monitor the HIV epidemic in Germany. We could observe ongoing HIV transmission in Germany in general and in different subgroups, and we could identify factors associated with recent HIV infection in Germany.