Subtype B and subtype C HIV type 1 recombinants in the Northeastern State of Manipur, India

The predominant HIV-1 strain circulating in India is subtype C. However, subtype A and B strains of HIV-1 have also been reported in India. In 1999, the first A/C recombinant strain was reported from Pune in India. Intravenous drug users (IVDUs) from the northeastern region of India have a high HIV-1 seroprevalence. Studies carried out in intravenous drug users in the northeastern region of India have shown that HIV-1 subtype C is the predominant strain infecting IVDUs. Fourteen blood samples were collected from HIV-1-infected individuals from the northeastern region of India and screened by env and gag heteroduplex mobility assays (HMA). Where the env and gag HMA results from a sample yielded different subtypes, sequencing of env and gag PCR products was carried out to confirm the presence of HIV-1 recombinants. Of the 14 samples subtyped, nine samples belonged HIV-1 subtype C (gag C/env C), one to HIV-1 subtype B (gag B/env B), and the remaining were B/C recombinants (gag C/env B). This is the first report of HIV-1 B/C recombinants from India.