Near Full-Length Genomic Characterization of a Novel HIV Type 1 Recombinant Form (CRF01_AE/B) Identified from Anhui, China.

HIV-1 recombinant forms contribute substantially to its genetic evolution. This study reports a novel HIV-1 second-generation recombinant form (AH150299) composed of CRF01_AE and subtype B, isolated from an HIV-positive female subject infected through heterosexual contact in Anhui province of eastern China. The analyses of the near full-length genome sequence showed that one subtype B segment was inserted into the CRF01_AE backbone, with two recombinant breakpoints observed in the vif/vpr and env/nef gene regions. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the CRF01_AE region of the recombinant belongs to CRF01_AE cluster 4, and the B subregions were correlated with the B strains circulating among men who have sex with men in China. In recent years, the emergence of novel recombinant strains reflected the complexity of the HIV-1 epidemic in Anhui, suggesting the significance of continuous monitoring of the dynamic transmissions of HIV-1 in eastern China.