Subtyping and env C2/V3 sequence analysis of HIV-1 isolated from HIV-infected children hospitalized in Children Hospital 1, Vietnam during 2004-2005

Seroprevalence of Chlamydophila pneumoniae in HIV-infected children in Vietnam

A total of 89 blood samples collected from HIV-infected infants and children from provinces of southern Vietnam who were hospitalized at Children's Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City, during the 1-year period from October 2004 to September 2005 were submitted to serological screening for IgG, IgA, and IgM antibodies against Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae). The presence of this microorganism was also evaluated by PCR. The results showed that 64 % of the samples were positive for anti-C. pneumoniae IgG, 31.5 % were positive for IgA, and 3.4 % were positive for IgM. The highest prevalences of IgG and IgA positivity, 75 % and 66.7 %, respectively, were noted in the 1- to 2-year-old age group. However, all the samples were negative for C. pneumoniae by PCR. The study revealed a high seroprevalence of C. pneumoniae in Vietnamese infants and children with HIV/AIDS.

Short communication: Drug resistance mutations in the HIV type 1 protease and reverse transcriptase genes in antiretroviral-naive Vietnamese children

Anti-HIV drugs have recently become available for the treatment of children infected with HIV in Vietnam; however, the genetic background of HIV-1 drug resistance in antiretroviral-naive children has yet to be studied. Of the 104 HIV-1 CRF01-AE subtype strains that were previously isolated from antiretroviral-naive children from the provinces of southern Vietnam and hospitalized in Children Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City from 2004 to 2005, 79 strains were used for amplification and sequence analyses of the protease and reverse transcriptase (RT) genes. Minor mutations were found in the protease gene, including L10I, I13V, G16E, M36I, D60E, I62V, I64V, L63P, H69K, V82I, and I93L. Of these mutations, M36I and H69K were detected in all of the strains that were studied. However, all of the amino acid changes in the protease gene were considered to be polymorphisms. In the RT gene, three major mutations were detected in six strains: the V75M mutation in one strain, the Y181C mutation in two strains, and the M184I mutation in three strains. The prevalence of primary or transmitted HIV drug resistance to all of the drugs and drug classes that were evaluated in this study was 7.6%. These findings provide a useful background for antiretroviral therapy in Vietnam and contribute reference data for the surveillance of HIV drug resistance around the world. This study suggests that the prevalence of HIVDR in Vietnam may have recently increased. The monitoring of HIV drug resistance in Vietnam is necessary.