Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Drug Resistance Mutations in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Proviral DNA among Antiretroviral Treatment-Naive and Treatment-Experienced Patients from Pune,India

The prevalence of HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) mutations in the HIV protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) genes was estimated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in a study population of 25 antiretroviral (ARV) therapy-naive and 50 ARV-experienced chronically infected patients from Pune city, Maharashtra State, western India. Of the 75 study HIV-1 sequences, 73 belonged to subtype C and 2 to subtype A1. On phylogenetic analysis, the study subtype C sequences sub clustered randomly with different Indian and non-Indian subtype C sequences, emphasizing the HIV-1 subtype C pol gene diversity. The heterosexual route was the most common route of transmission (74.67%). There were no observable HIVDR mutations in ARV-naive patients. The ARV-experienced patients had a history of exposure to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor combinations. At least one HIVDR mutation in RT was observed in 29 (80.55%) of ARV-experienced patients with evidence of failing therapy. M184V was the most common observed HIVDR mutation. No PR major mutations were observed among ARV-experienced patients. A higher prevalence of proviral HIVDR mutations in PBMCs was associated with irregular adherence to therapy (p < 0.05) and HIV-1 RNA levels > 1000 copies/ml (p < 0.001).