Novel HIV-1 Recombinant Forms in Antenatal Cohort, Montreal, Quebec, Canada [EID] DOI: 10.3201/eid1702.100629

DOI: 10.3201/eid1702.100629
Suggested citation for this article: Quesnel-Vallières M, Kouzayha I, Tran E, Barry I, Lasgi C, Merindol N, et al. Novel HIV-1 Recombinant forms in antenatal cohort, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Emerg Infect Dis. 2011 Feb; [Epub ahead of print]


Novel HIV-1 Recombinant Forms in Antenatal Cohort, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Mathieu Quesnel-Vallières, Iman Kouzayha, Evelyne Tran, Issatou Barry, Charlène Lasgi, Natacha Merindol, Marc Boucher, Normand Lapointe, and Hugo Soudeyns

Author affiliations: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (M. Quesnel-Vallières, I. Kouzayha, E. Tran, I. Barry, C. Lasgi, N. Merindol, M. Boucher, N. Lapointe, H. Soudeyns); Université de Montréal, Montreal (M. Quesnel-Vallières, I. Kouzayha, E. Tran, I. Barry, N. Merindol, M. Boucher, N. Lapointe, H. Soudeyns); and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France (C. Lasgi)

Near full-length genomes of 4 unclassified HIV-1 variants infecting patients enrolled in an antenatal cohort in Canada were obtained by sequencing. All 4 variants showed original recombination profiles, including A1/A2/J, A1/D, and A1/G/J/CRF11_cpx structures. Identification of these variants highlights the growing prevalence of unique recombinant forms of HIV-1 in North America.

HIV-1 displays extensive genetic diversity. Group M includes 9 subtypes and >45 circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) (1). In western and central Africa, where the highest levels of HIV-1 genetic heterogeneity are observed, most subtypes cocirculate along with CRFs and unique recombinant forms (URFs). This diversity may complicate diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection and represents a challenge for vaccine design. In North America, the HIV-1 epidemic is dominated by subtype B; non-B subtypes are infrequently reported (2,3). Nonetheless, recent studies have shown a growing prevalence of non-B variants (4,5). In 2005, Akouamba et al. reported high levels of HIV-1 genetic diversity among participants in the Centre Maternel et Infantile sur le SIDA (CMIS) antenatal cohort of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Canada (6). Of these patients, 44 of 103 were infected with

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