Cui He

Trends of HIV subtypes and phylogenetic dynamics among young men who have sex with men in China, 2009–2014

To investigate the origins of HIV transmission and phylogenetic dynamics among men who have sex with men (MSM), a total of 1205 newly diagnosed HIV-infected 16–25 year-olds were recruited in 13 provinces across China between 2009 and 2014. Based on phylogenetic analyses of partial pol sequences, HIV-1 subtypes including CRF01_AE (45.3%), CRF07_BC (37.8%), subtype B (6.1%), and B’ (3.7%), as well as some other recombinants (7.1%) were identified. In addition to two distinct CRF01_AE clusters [cluster 4 (33.7%, 406/1205) and cluster 5 (7.1%, 85/1205)], we identified a new CRF07_BC cluster (cluster 1) (36.0%, 434/1205), which entered Chinese MSMs in 2004, and had been rapidly spreading since about 2004, which indicating the third wave of the HIV epidemic among the population. Moreover, two new clusters of CRF_01B recombinants were found in this study. The complexities of HIV subtypes and recombinants strongly supports the necessity for a comprehensive study about risk behaviors and their relationship with increasing HIV epidemic subtypes among the MSM group. Implementation and evaluation of comprehensive harm reduction strategies in Chinese MSM are urgently needed.

HIV virological failure and drug resistance among injecting drug users receiving first-line ART in China

Objective To explore HIV virological failure and drug resistance among injecting drug users (IDUs) receiving first-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) in China. Design A series of cross-sectional surveys from 2003 to 2012 from the Chinese National HIV Drug Resistance (HIVDR) Surveillance and Monitoring Network. Setting China. Participants Data were analysed by the Chinese National (HIVDR) Surveillance and Monitoring Network from 2003 to 2012. Demographic, ART and laboratory data (CD4+ cell count, viral load and drug resistance) were included. Factors associated with virological failure were identified by logistic regression analysis. Results 929 of the 8556 individuals in the Chinese HIVDR database were IDUs receiving first-line ART. For these 929 IDUs, the median duration of treatment was 14 months (IQR 6.0–17.8). 193 of the 929 IDUs (20.8%) experienced virological failure (HIV viral load ≥1000 copies/mL). The prevalence of HIVDR among patients with virological failure was 38.9% (68/175). The proportion of patients with drug resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTIs), nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTIs) and protease inhibitors (PIs) was 52.9%, 76.5% and 4.4%, respectively. Factors independently associated with virological failure include: ethnic minorities, junior high school education or less, farmers, self-reported missing doses in the past month, CD4 cell count at survey from 200 to 349 cells/mm3 or from 0 to 199 cells/mm3, and residence of Guangxi and Yunnan provinces. Conclusions The proportion of virological failure was high among IDUs receiving first-line ART in China. However, better treatment outcomes were observed in Guangxi and Yunnan, which indicates the importance of ART education and adherence to intervention, especially for patients who are farmers, minorities or have a poor educational background.

Virological outcomes and drug resistance in Chinese patients after 12 months of 3TC-based first-line antiretroviral treatment, 2011-2012.

Objective To determine the prevalence of virological failure and HIV drug resistance among Chinese patients one year after initiating lamivudine-based first-line antiretroviral treatment. Methods A prospective cohort study with follow-up at 12 months was conducted in four urban sentinel sites in China. Antiretroviral naive patients ≥18 years old were recruited. Blood samples were collected for testing CD4 cell count, viral load, and (for samples with HIV-1 RNA ≥1000 copies/ml) genotyping of drug resistance. Results A total of 513 patients were enrolled in this cohort, of whom 448 (87.3%) were retained at 12 months. The median final CD4 cell count was 313 cells/mm3, which increased from 192 cells/mm3 at baseline (P<0.0001). Of the 448 remaining subjects, 394 (87.9%) had successful virological suppression (HIV RNA <1000 copies/ml). Among 54 samples with viral load ≥1000 copies/ml, 40 were successfully genotyped, and 11 were found with detectable HIV drug resistance mutations. Of these, the proportions of drug resistance to NNRTIs, NRTIs and PIs were 100%, 81.8% and 0%, respectively. Injecting drug use (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.19,0.84; P = 0.0154), CD4 count at baseline ≥350 cells/mm3 (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.14,0.72; P = 0.0056), and missed doses in the past month (AOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.15,0.60; P = 0.0006) were significantly negatively associated with HIV RNA <1000 copies/ml. Conclusions Our study demonstrates effective virological and immunological outcomes at 12 months among these who initiated first-line ART treatment. However, patients infected through drug injection, who missed doses, or with higher CD4 count at baseline are at increased risk for poor virological response.

The sexually driven epidemic in youths in China’s southwestern border region was caused by dynamic emerging multiple recombinant HIV-1 strains

Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province on China’s southwestern border was the gateway of the country’s AIDS epidemic. Studies on HIV-1 molecular epidemiology will provide key information on virus transmission dynamics and help to inform HIV prevention strategies. HIV-1 infected youths (age 16–25 years) diagnosed in the continuous 3 months in 2009 to 2012 were enrolled. By means of phylogenetic and statistical analyses, It was showed that two thirds (133/205) of youths in Dehong, of which 74.1% were infected sexually, were infected by uncharacterized recombinant HIV-1 strains. Among them about 59.4% (79/131) were unique recombinant forms (URFs) and 40.6% (54/131) formed 11 transmission clusters, termed potential circulating recombinant forms (pCRFs). The emergence of recombinants was statistically significant related with people of low education, residents outside the capital city of Dehong and being Myanmar residents. It was the first report with ongoing HIV-1 recombinant strains in a sexually driven epidemic area in China. Great efforts should be put on reducing multiple risk exposures behavior in local young people, containing the spread of pCRFs to other regions, and preventing the URFs from evolving into future CRFs. Collaborative prevention across border is needed to better control the local AIDS epidemic.

Efficacy and HIV drug resistance profile of second-line ART among patients having received long-term first-line regimens in rural China.

Antiretroviral therapy has significantly expanded and an increased proportion of patients have switched to second-line regimens in China. We describe the outcomes of second-line therapy among patients having received long-term first-line ART. A prospective follow-up study was conducted in rural areas in China. We compared the virological, immunological outcomes and genotypic drug resistance (DR) profiles before and after regimen switches. A total of 303 patients were enrolled, 283 (93.4%) were retained at 12 months. Of 90 participants with HIV-RNA ≥ 1000 copies/ml before switch, the proportion of viral load (VL) ≥ 1000 copies/ml at 6 and 12 months was 49.4% and 43.9%, respectively. Of 213 patients with HIV-RNA < 1000 copies/ml before switch, the proportion of VL ≥ 1000 copies/ml at 6 and 12 months was 4.8% and 6.5%, respectively. The rates of drug resistance to NNRTIs, NRTIs, PIs decreased from 65.5%, 53.3%, and 1.1% before regimen switch to 26.8%, 18.3%, and 0% at 12 months, respectively. DDI-based initial ART regimens and missing doses in past month were associated with HIV RNA ≥ 1000 copies/ml at 12 months. The results showed that patients having received long-term first-line ART and experiencing virological failure had good virological outcomes after switching to second-line treatment in China.

Reductions in virological failure and drug resistance in Chinese antiretroviral-treated patients due to lamivudine-based regimens, 2003–12

BACKGROUND Chinas National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program (NFATP) has significantly scaled up and standardized treatment since 2008. Meanwhile, no study worldwide has examined on a large scale the effects of rapid ART programme scale-up on treatment outcomes in resource-limited settings. METHODS We used Chinas national HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) surveillance database to determine virological failure, acquired drug resistance and poor adherence rates after 12-15 months of first-line ART. A total of 2252 patients were examined, with 1431 patients having initiated ART before 2008 and 821 since 2008. FINDINGS Since 2008, virological failure at 12-15 months of treatment improved from 26.6% to 12.1%, and HIVDR rates also significantly decreased from 15.4% to 5.4%. However, these successes are strongly associated with the standardized use of lamivudine-based regimens in place of didanosine-based regimens. Patients who initiated lamivudine-based regimens before 2008 showed significant improvement in adherence [missed doses adjusted OR (AOR), 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45-0.96], virological failure (AOR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.22-0.39) and HIVDR outcomes (AOR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.20-0.42) compared with those who initiated didanosine-based regimens. Meanwhile, among only patients on lamivudine-based regimens, no significant changes were observed between those who initiated before 2008 and those who initiated since 2008. CONCLUSIONS Chinas NFATP has been largely successful throughout the scale-up, with an overall reduction in virological failure and HIVDR. However, excluding the effect of lamivudine-based regimens, it remains crucial for the programme to improve patient adherence and quality of care, particularly in key vulnerable populations such as those infected through injecting drug or blood routes.

Genetic Characteristics of CRF01_AE Among Newly Diagnosed HIV-1-Infected 16- to 25-Year Olds in 3 Geographic Regions of Guangxi, China.

AbstractThe aim of this study was to analyze the distribution of clusters and drug resistance of CRF01_AE among newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve HIV-infected teenagers and young adults in 3 major HIV-affected geographic regions of Guangxi Province, including the cities of Hezhou, Liuzhou, and Nanning.Samples were sequentially collected from newly diagnosed HIV-infected 16- to 25-year olds in these 3 regions from 2009 to 2013. The viral genome was extracted, and the partial pol gene was amplified and sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses were used to determine HIV-1 subtypes and CRF01_AE clusters. Transmitted drug resistance (TDR) mutations were identified using the 2009 WHO list of TDR mutations.A total of 216 sequences were obtained from CRF01_AE strains, which accounted for 83.1% of the 260 genotyped samples, of which 36 were from Hezhou, 147 from Liuzhou, and 33 in Nanning. Most (83.3%, 180/216) were from heterosexuals, followed by injection drug users (5.6%), homosexuals (4.2%), and unknown risk group (6.9%). Based on phylogenetic analyses by the maximum likelihood method, 5 distinct clusters (cluster 1–5) were identified with 213 (98.6%) sequences, whereas 3 (1.4%) sequences were ungrouped. In Hezhou, 88.9% (32/36) of CRF01_AE infections were caused by cluster 2, and 11.1% (4/36) were caused by cluster 1. In Liuzhou, 83.0% (122/147) of the CRF01_AE strains were found in cluster 1, 11.6% (17/147) from cluster 2, 1.4% (2/147) from cluster 3, 2.7% (4/147) from cluster 4, and 0.7% (1/147) from cluster 5. The distribution of CRF01_AE clusters was more even in Nanning than it was in the other 2 regions, with 18.2% (6/33) from cluster 1, 36.3% (12/33) from cluster 2, 9.1% (3/33) from cluster 3, 18.2% (6/33) from cluster 4, and 12.1% (4/33) from cluster 5. The most frequent TDR mutations were M46I (2) in the protease region and Y181C (2) from the reverse transcriptase fragment.Clusters 1 and 2 of CRF01_AE strains were prevalent in Liuzhou and Hezhou, respectively. However, multiple CRF01_AE clusters existed in Nanning. This can be partially explained by the high mobility of laborers in Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi. The prevalence of TDR was low.

Evaluation of an In-House HIV-1 Drug Resistance Genotypic Testing for Using Dried Blood Spot Specimens in China

OBJECTIVES We evaluated an In-house assay for HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping by using DBS samples in China. METHODS The amplification sensitivity was assessed using 79 DBS specimens with plasma viral load ranging from 1,000 to 6,000 copies/ml. Precision was assessed using 5 DBS specimens with 5 replicates tested in one test run. Reproducibility was evaluated using other 5 DBS specimens with 5 replicates genotyped in 5 test runs. Nucleotide sequence identity and the degree of concordance in detecting drug resistance mutations were assessed within and between test runs. In addition, nucleotide sequence and drug resistance mutations were compared between 64 matched plasma and DBS specimens. RESULTS The amplification rate of DBS specimens with plasma viral load of 1,000-6,000 copies/ml was 96.2% (76/79). The nucleotide sequence identity was 99.7±0.34% and 99.6±0.25% within and between test runs, respectively. Moreover, there was a near perfect agreement of detecting drug resistance mutations intra- and inter- test runs with kappa value of 0.972 and 0.963, respectively. Between 64 pairs of plasma and DBS specimens, the nucleotide identity was excellent with 99.5±0.34%. As compared to the results of plasma specimens, the sensitivity and specificity for detecting drug resistance mutations in DBS specimens were 99.4 % (95% CI, 97.4-99.8%) and 99.8% (95% CI, 99.7-99.9%), respectively. Totally 15 discordant drug resistance mutations were found. Among them, 53.3 % (8/15) were caused by mixture base. CONCLUSION The In-house HIVDR genotyping assay could be used for testing DBS samples with viral load above 1,000 copies/ml in China and had a low intra- and inter- assay variability. DBS is an excellent alternative to plasma for HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping at population levels in China.

Predictors of HIV virological failure and drug resistance in Chinese patients after 48 months of antiretroviral treatment, 2008-2012: a prospective cohort study

Objective To explore factors associated with HIV virological failure (VF) and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) among HIV-positive Chinese individuals 4 years after initiating first-line lamivudine-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) in 2008 at five sentinel sites. Design First-line ART initiators who were previously treatment naïve were selected using consecutive ID numbers from the 2008 National Surveillance Database into a prospective cohort study. Questionnaires and blood samples were collected in 2011 and 2012 to assess the outcomes of interest: VF (defined as viral load ≥1000 copies/mL) and HIVDR (defined as VF with genetic drug-resistant mutations). Questionnaires and data from National Surveillance Database assessed demographics and drug adherence data. Results 536 individuals with HIV were analysed; the 4-year risk of VF was 63 (11.8%) and HIVDR was 27 (5.0%). Female participants initiating stavudine (D4T)-based regimens were more susceptible to both VF (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.5, 95% CI 1 to 6.1, p=0.04) and HIVDR (aOR=3.6, 95% CI 1 to 12.6, p=0.05) versus zidovudine-based regimens. Male participants missing doses in past month were more susceptible to both VF (aOR=2.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 7, p=0.03) and HIVDR (aOR=9.7, 95% CI 2.1 to 44.1, p<0.01). Participants of non-Han nationality were of increased risk for HIVDR (aOR from 4.8 to 12.2, p<0.05) and non-Han men were at increased risk for VF (aOR=2.9, 95% CI 1.1 to 7.3, p=0.02). All 27 participants detected with HIVDR had non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor mutations, 21 (77.8%) also had nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor mutations, and no protease inhibitor mutations were detected. Conclusions Our findings suggest successful treatment outcomes at 4 years for roughly 90% of patients. We suggest conducting further study on whether and when to change ART regimen for women initiated with D4T-based regimen, and reinforcing adherence counselling for men. Increased VF and HIVDR risk among non-Han minorities warrants further exploration, and ethnic minorities may be an important group to tailor adherence-focused interventions.

Reductions in virological failure and drug resistance to antiretroviral therapy in Chinese patients associated with lamivudine-based regimens, 2003–12: a cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Chinas National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program has substantially scaled up and standardised antiretroviral treatment (ART) since 2008. Meanwhile, no study worldwide has examined the effects of rapid ART programme scale-up on treatment outcomes in resource-limited settings on a large scale. Methods The national HIV drug resistance surveillance database included annual cross-sectional surveys HIV drug resistance from 2003–12. We used Chinas national HIV drug resistance surveillance database to determine virological failure, acquired drug resistance, and poor adherence after 12–15 months of first-line ART. The probability proportional to proxy size (PPPS) sampling recommended by WHO was used in this study. χ tests and logistic regression were used for categorical variables. The institutional review board of the National Center on HIV/STD Control and Prevention (NCAIDS), China CDC, approved this study. Findings Of the 2252 patients included in this study, 1180 (52%) were aged less than 40 years; 2100 (93%) belonged to the Han ethnic group; 1331 (59%) were male; 963 (43%) had primary school (1–6 years of education) or less; 1665 (74%) were married; 968 (43%) were farmers; 929 (41%), 947 (42%), and 322 (14%) were infected through blood or plasma transmission, sexual intercourse, and intravenous drug use, respectively. 1431 (64%) patients had initiated ART before 2008, and 821 (36%) initiated ART after 2008. The incidence of virological failure after 12–15 months of treatment was lower in the group of patients who had initiated ART after 2008 than in the group of patients who initiated ART before 2008 (12·1% vs 26·6%). The incidence of HIV drug resistance to ART was also significantly reduced in patients who initiated ART after 2008 compared to patients who intiated treatment before 2008 (5·4% vs 15·4%). However, these improvements are strongly associated with the standardised use of lamivudine-based regimens instead of didanosine-based regimens. Patients who initiated lamivudine-based regimens before 2008 had significant improvement in adherence (missed doses adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0·65, 95% CI 0·45–0·96), virological failure (AOR 0·29 95% CI 0·22–0·39), and drug resistance outcomes (AOR 0·29 95% CI 0·20–0·42) compared with those who initiated didanosine-based regimens. We found no significant changes in these outcomes between patients who initiated lamivudine-based regimens before 2008 and those who initiated this treatment after 2008. Interpretation Chinas National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program has been largely successful throughout the scale-up, with an overall reduction in virological failure and HIV drug resistance. However, excluding the effect of lamivudine-based regimens, the programme must improve patient adherence and quality of care, particularly in key vulnerable populations such as those infected through injecting drug use or blood routes. Further monitoring of treatment outcomes is needed to elucidate the determinants of long-term programmatic success. This is the first large scale study in the world evaluating the outcomes of ART treatment during a rapid programmatic scale-up. Funding Ministry of Science and Technology of China (grants 2012ZX10001-002 and 2009DFB30420), Chinese State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease (development grant 2012SKLID103), and International Development Research Center of Canada (grant 104519-010). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.