HIV-1 epidemic in Warao Amerindians from Venezuela

• DOI: 10.1097/qad.0b013e3283601bdb
• Publication Date: 2013-02-22T10:02:38Z
• Authors: Julian A. Villalba; Gonzalo Bello; Mailis Maes; Yoneira F. Sulbaran; Domingo Garzaro; Carmen L. Loureiro; Hector R. Rangel; Jacobus H. de Waard; Flor H. Pujol
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Molecular Epidemiology; 0303 health sciences; Adolescent; Genotype; Indians, South American; Molecular Sequence Data; HIV Infections; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Middle Aged; Venezuela; 3. Good health; Phylogeography; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; HIV-1; Prevalence; Cluster Analysis; Humans; Female; Child; Epidemics

We previously reported HIV-1 infection in Warao Amerindians from Venezuela. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent and the dynamic of HIV-1 dissemination in eight Warao communities.HIV-1 infection was evaluated in 576 Warao Amerindians from the Orinoco Delta. Partial HIV-1 pol sequences were analyzed to reconstruct the spatiotemporal and demographic dynamics of the epidemic.HIV-1 antibodies were present in 9.55% of Warao Amerindians, ranging from 0 to 22%. A significantly higher prevalence was found in men (15.6%) compared with women (2.6%), reaching up to 35% in men from one community. All but one isolates were classified as subtype B. Warao's HIV-1 subtype-B epidemic resulted from a single viral introduction at around the early 2000s. After an initial phase of slow growth, the subtype B started to spread at a fast rate (0.8/year) following two major routes of migration within the communities.A dramatic high prevalence was documented in almost all the communities of Warao Amerindians from the Orinoco Delta tested for HIV-1 infection. This epidemic resulted from the dissemination of a single HIV-1 subtype B founder strain introduced about 10 years ago and its size is probably doubling every year, creating a situation that can be devastating for this vulnerable Amerindian group.