Further characterization of HIV-1 isolates from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

In Vietnam the first case of HIV-1 infection was identified in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) in 1990. By December 1997 7737 HIV-1 infections had been recorded with 3153 cases in HCMC. Since first describing the subtypes of 50 HIV-1 isolates from IV drug users (IVDUs) and prostitutes in South Vietnam the authors investigated 66 additional patients from HCMC; 38 IVDUs and 28 subjects recruited in a STD clinic and thought to have been infected with HIV in the course of heterosexual sexual relations. Prevalent HIV-1 subtypes were identified through polymerase chain reaction and heteroduplex mobility assay applied to viral genomic DNA. Of the IVDUs 36 were infected with HIV-1 subtype E and 2 with subtype B. Of the STD patients 25 were infected with HIV-1 subtype E 2 with subtype B and 1 with subtype C. The authors then investigated the in vitro sensitivity of 6 HIV-1 subtype E field isolates to zidovudine dideoxycytidine stavudine lamivudine a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor manufactured in Belgium and ritonavir. The isolates sensitivity to the antiretroviral drugs is very similar to that of HIV-1 subtype B reference strains suggesting that the guidelines used to enroll patients in double and/or triple therapy in Western countries are also valid for patients in Vietnam.