Identification of a novel HIV-1 circulating AIDG intersubtype recombinant form (CRF1 9_cpx) in Cuba

Circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) represent a substantial proportion of HIV-1 isolates in the global pandemic. Characterization of HIV-1 genetic forms, including CRFs, may be relevant to studies on molecular epidemiology, recombination, superinfection, vaccine development, and antiretroviral therapy. This Study analyzes near complete genomes of 4 epidemiologically unlinked viruses from Cuba, originally characterized as D/A intersubtype recombinants in pol and env segments. The genomes of 3 viruses exhibited virtually coincident mosaic Structures, with multiple segments Of Subtypes A, D. and G and uniform phylogenetic clustering with each other along the genome. These results allow us to define a new CRF (CRF19_cpx). The 4th analyzed Cuban virus was recombinant between CRF19_cpx and CRF18_cpx (which also circulates in Cuba). CRF19_cpx exhibited homology to an AG intersubtype recombinant virus from Cameroon (CM53392) along approximately 5 kb and clustered with a Subtype D virus from Gabon (G 109) in gag. Four other viruses from central or west Africa were also phylogenetically related to CRF19_cpx in em, fragments. These results allow LIS to define CRF19_cpx as a second novel CRF of African origin circulating in Cuba, to identify putative representative viruses of its parental strains, and to characterize a unique CRF18/CPF19 recombinant virus.