PECULIAR FEATURES OF HIV/AIDS DEVELOPMENT IN GOMEL REGION IN 1987-2006: EPIDEMIOLOGY, MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY. Report 1
Objective. Characterization of the HIV/AIDS epidemic development in Gomel region during 1987—2006 was the objective of the study as well as determination of the HIV-1 subtypes and of its origination sources. Material and methods. Serum/plasma samples of patients suffering from HIV/AIDS were the materials for studying. The HIV-1 fragments OT-PCR, sequencing, phylogenetic assays were performed. The software including Sequencing Analysis, SeqScape, BioEdit, MEGA4 was used. Results. The HIV-1 infection outbreak in Svetlogorsk and neighboring districts in 1996—1997 was associated with the A1 virus subtype imported from the adjacent Ukraine. At the same time, at least two sources of the virus were known in Svetlogorsk in that period. Conclusion. Usage of methods of molecular epidemiology allows identify outbreaks like the Svetlogorsk one and determine the etiological agent and the virus origination source.