Transmission of HIV-1 drug resistance in Benin could jeopardise future treatment options

Objectives As access to antiretrovirals (ARV) increases in developing countries, the identification of optimal therapeutic regimens and prevention strategies requires the identification of resistance pathways in non-B subtypes as well as the surveillance of drug mutation resistance (SDMR) including the trafficking of viral strains between high-risk groups such as commercial sex workers (CSW) and the general population (GP). In this study, the authors evaluated the rate of primary resistance mutations and the epidemiological link between isolates from GP and CSW from Benin. Methods Plasma samples were obtained from 129 HIV-1-infected treatment-naive individuals. Drug resistance mutations were identified using SDMR list and compared with other resistance algorithms. Results No nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance mutations were found. Four patients had non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance (K103N, G190A). One patient exhibited protease inhibitors resistance mutation, F53Y. Using the SDMR list, the authors obtained a rate of 3.9% of primary resistance. Nevertheless, the authors observed several mutations not on SDMR list but included in others resistance database, taking those mutations into account, the authors obtained a rate of 15.5%. Conclusions Although our results show a low rate of SDMR, this algorithm may underestimate resistance mutations that may impact treatment options in developing countries. Primary resistance rates were similar in CSW and in the GP. Our phylogenetic analysis confirmed the genetic exchange between groups.