HIV-1 Mutational Escape from Host Immunity

Within an infected individual, HIV-1 develops specific mutations within its genome that allow it to escape detection by host immune responses. As such, host immunity represents a major selective force driving the evolution and diversification of HIV-1 at the individual and population levels. Here, we highlight HIV-1 mutational escape from adaptive, innate, and vaccine-induced immune responses as highly specific and reproducible processes beginning rapidly following HIV-1 infection. The potential biological implications of immune escape, including viral fitness costs and population-level HIV-1 adaptation to host immunity, are also summarized.