Research Article

Mutation patterns, cross resistance and virological failure among HIV type-1 patients in Alexandria, Egypt

*Author for correspondence: Tel.: +20 122 114 9510;

E-mail Address: Ahmed.gaballah@alexu.edu.eg

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9038-6597

Microbiology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt

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Abeer Ghazal

Microbiology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt

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Dalia Metwally

Microbiology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt

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Rasha Emad

Alexandria Main University Hospital, Alexandria University, Egypt

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Ghada Essam

Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy & Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University, Egypt

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Nancy M Attia

Microbiology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt

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Ahmed N Amer

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3610-4592

Microbiology & Immunology Department, Faculty of Pharmacy & Drug Manufacturing, Pharos University, Egypt

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Published Online:29 Apr 2022https://doi.org/10.2217/fvl-2021-0279

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Abstract

Aim: The main purpose of this cross-sectional study was to detect the prevalence of drug resistance mutations related to nonnucleoside/nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs/NRTIs) and protease inhibitors (PIs). Patients & methods: Patients (n = 45) with HIV type-1 were recruited, 30 of whom were treatment naive and 15 treatment experienced. A partial pol gene covering the protease/reverse transcriptase (PRRT) region was amplified and then sequenced by the Sanger method. Results & conclusion: The most common NNRTI/NRTI-related mutations were ‘V179I (24%) and K103N (14.3%)’ and ‘M41L and V75M’ (14.3% each). M36I and H69K were the most prevalent PI-related mutations (86% each). The results of the current study serve as an initial crucial step in defining the overall prevalence of HIV type-1 drug resistance in Egypt.

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Vol. 17, No. 7

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History

Received 29 September 2021

Accepted 8 April 2022

Published online 29 April 2022

Published in print July 2022

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Keywords

Author contributions

A Gaballah: conceptualization, methodology, validation, formal analysis, investigation, supervision, writing original draft, writing - review and editing and visualization; A Ghazal: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, validation, writing - review and editing, visualization and supervision; D Metwally: conceptualization, methodology, formal analysis, validation, writing - review and editing, visualization and supervision; RE Mansour: data acquisition, formal analysis, writing, review and editing; G Essam: data acquisition, formal analysis, writing, review and editing; NM Attia: formal analysis, writing, review and editing; AN Amer: formal analysis, writing, review and editing.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the HIV department staff at the Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Fever Hospital (Alexandria, Egypt).

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Ethical conduct of research

The authors confirm that the ethical policies of the journal, as noted on the journal's author guidelines page, have been adhered to and the appropriate ethical review committee approval has been received. Approval for this study was obtained from the Ethical Committee at the Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University (approval no. E/C S/N. T43/2017). No animal models were used in this research. All participants in this study were in accordance with the standards set forth in the Declaration of Helsinki principles of 1975, as revised in 2013 (http://ethics.iit.edu/ecodes/node/3931). The present work was explained to all study participants and a written informed consent form was requested to be signed by all participants or their legal guardians before sample collection.

Availability of data & materials

The authors confirm that the data supporting the results and findings of this study are available within the article.

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