Molecular epidemiology of HIV-1 subtype B in the Basque Country (Spain)

The goal of this work was to study the HIV-1 subtype B epidemic in the Basque Country (Spain). For this, we used HIV samples submitted for genotypic testing of anti-retroviral resistance mutations from 2005 until 2008. Consequently, 2115 HIV-1 sequences comprising protease and retrotranscriptase (PR/RT) coding regions were analyzed. HIV transmission groups were identified by phylogenetic analysis. The 10 largest such groups were subsequently subjected to Bayesian phylogenetic and coalescent reconstructions, using a relaxed molecular clock model. The results obtained show that these groups have been long-standing: most of them were originated in the late 70s or early 80s, and none after the …