Characterization of HIV type 1 reverse transcriptase mutations in infants infected by mothers who received peripartum nevirapine prophylaxis in Jos, Nigeria

This study was carried out to characterize HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) mutations in vertically infected infants in Jos, Nigeria. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 102 infants, aged 0 to 6 months, born to HIV-1-infected mothers who had received peripartum single-dose nevirapine prophylaxis. PCR-based diagnosis revealed that 14 infants (13.7%) were infected with HIV-1. Phylogenetic analyses of RT revealed wide viral diversity, with CRF02_AG, subtype G, subsubtype A3, CRF06_cpx, and a subtype D recombinant present in the population. Four of 13 (31%) infants had NNRTI resistance mutations - V179I (2 infants), Y181C, and V179E. Intriguingly, subtype G sequences did not have NNRTI mutations but rather carried a Q207N mutation, which may undergo negative selection under drug pressure. Our data suggest wide diversity for vertically transmitted HIV-1 viruses in Nigeria and highlight the potential significance of transmitting rare mutations in subtype G. © 2007 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.