Phylogenetic analysis consistent with a clinical history of sexual transmission of HIV-1 from a single donor reveals transmission of highly distinct variants

• Main Authors: McClure Myra, Weber Jonathan, Fidler Sarah, Duda Anna, Flanagan Peter, Bonsall David, Katzourakis Aris, English Suzanne, Phillips Rodney, Frater John
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2011-07-01
• Series: Retrovirology
• Online Access: http://www.retrovirology.com/content/8/1/54

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To combat the pandemic of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1), a successful vaccine will need to cope with the variability of transmissible viruses. Human hosts infected with HIV-1 potentially harbour many viral variants but very little is known about viruses that are likely to be transmitted, or even if there are viral characteristics that predict enhanced transmission <it>in vivo</it>. We show for the first time that genetic divergence consistent with a single transmission event <it>in vivo </it>can represent several years of pre-transmission evolution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We describe a highly unusual case consistent with a single donor transmitting highly related but distinct HIV-1 variants to two individuals on the same evening. We confirm that the clustering of viral genetic sequences, present within each recipient, is consistent with the history of a single donor across the viral <it>env, gag </it>and <it>pol </it>genes by maximum likelihood and Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo based phylogenetic analyses. Based on an uncorrelated, lognormal relaxed clock of <it>env </it>gene evolution calibrated with other datasets, the time since the most recent common ancestor is estimated as 2.86 years prior to transmission (95% confidence interval 1.28 to 4.54 years).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results show that an effective design for a preventative vaccine will need to anticipate extensive HIV-1 diversity within an individual donor as well as diversity at the population level.</p>