Top

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Case report

An epidemiological investigation to reconstruct a probable human immunodeficiency virus -1 transmission network: a case report

Authors: Sara Serafino, Eleonora Cella, Claudia Montagna, Eugenio Nelson Cavallari, Pietro Vittozzi, Alessandra Lo Presti, Marta Giovanetti, Laura Mazzuti, Ombretta Turriziani, Giancarlo Ceccarelli, Gabriella d’Ettorre, Vincenzo Vullo, Massimo Ciccozzi

Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports | Issue 1/2015

Abstract

Background

Recently published studies have highlighted the importance of phylogenetic and phylodynamic analyses in supporting epidemiological investigations to reconstruct the transmission network of human immunodeficiency virus. Here, we report a case of sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 between a man and a woman that marks once more the importance of a tightened collaboration between phylogeny and epidemiology.

Case presentation

We describe a case of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 subtype B transmission in a stable Caucasian heterosexual couple. The man was 30 years old and the woman was 21 years old at the time of their presentation to the Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases of the University of Rome “Sapienza”. The couple reported a history of drug abuse.

Conclusion

Phylogenetic analysis is a powerful technique that if properly used can prove valuable in research investigations. In the case presented here, a phylogenetic analysis alongside epidemiological evidence allowed us to determine the most probable source of the human immunodeficiency virus infection. The dated tree allowed us to date the transmission event, the time point, and the direction of transmission based on the phylogeny, which agreed with the presumptive time of infection determined from clinical history-taking.

Op De Coul ELM, Prins M, Cornelissen M, Van Der Schoot A, Boufassa F, Brettle RP, et al. European and Italian Seroconverter Studies. Using phylogenetic analysis to trace HIV-1 migration among western European injecting drug users seroconverting from 1984 to 1997. AIDS. 2001;15:257–66.CrossRefPubMed

Roberts JD, Bebenek K, Kunkel TA. The accuracy of reverse transcriptase from HIV-1. Science. 1988;242:1171–3.CrossRefPubMed

Ho DD, Neumann AU, Perelson AS, Chen W, Leonard JM, Markowitz M. Rapid turnover of plasma virions and CD4 lymphocytes in HIV-1 infections. Nature. 1995;373:123–6.CrossRefPubMed

Michael NL. Host genetic influences on HIV-1 pathogenesis. Curr Opin Immunol. 1999;11:466–74.CrossRefPubMed

Temin HM. Retrovirus variation and reverse transcription: abnormal strand transfers result in retrovirus genetic variation. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1993;90:6900–3.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Robertson DL, Anderson JP, Bradac JA, Carr JK, Foley B, Funkhouser RK, et al. HIV-1 nomenclature proposal. Science. 2000;288:55–6.CrossRefPubMed

McCutchan FE. Understanding the genetic diversity of HIV-1. AIDS. 2009;14:S31–44.

Salminen MO, Carr JK, Burke DS, McCutchan FE. Identification of breakpoints in intergenotypic recombinants of HIV type 1 by bootscanning. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1995;11:1423–5.CrossRefPubMed

Balotta C, Facchi G, Violin M, Van Dooren S, Cozzi-Lepri A, Forbici F, et al. Increasing prevalence of non-clade B HIV-1 strains in heterosexual men and women, as monitored by analysis of reverse transcriptase and protease sequences. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2001;27:499–505.CrossRefPubMed

10.

Tramuto F, Vitale F, Bonura F, Romano N. Group for HIV-1 Antiretroviral Studies in Sicily. Detection of HIV type 1 non-B subtypes in Sicily, Italy. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2004;20:251–4.CrossRefPubMed

11.

Monno L, Brindicci G, Lo Caputo S, Punzi G, Scarabaggio T, Riva C, et al. HIV-1 subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) from HIV-infected patients residing in two regions of central and southern Italy. J Med Virol. 2005;75:483–90.CrossRefPubMed

12.

Ciccozzi M, Montieri S, Salemi M, De Oliveira T, Dorrucci M, Sinicco A, et al. An outbreak of HIV-1 subtype G among Italian injecting drug users. AIDS. 2007;21:1213–5.CrossRefPubMed

13.

Ciccozzi M, Santoro MM, Giovanetti M, Andrissi L, Bertoli A, Ciotti M. HIV-1 non-B subtypes in Italy: a growing trend. New Microbiol. 2012;35:377–86.PubMed

14.

Buonaguro L, Petrizzo A, Tagliamonte M, Vitone F, Re MC, Pilotti E, et al. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of HIV-1 variants circulating in Italy. Infect Agent Cancer. 2008;10:3–13.

15.

Lai A, Riva C, Marconi A, Balestrieri M, Razzolini F, Meini G, et al. Changing patterns in HIV-1 non-B clade prevalence and diversity in Italy over three decades. HIV Med. 2010;11:593–602.CrossRefPubMed

16.

Ciccozzi M, Bon I, Ciotti M. Do the HIV-1 subtypes circulating in Italy resemble the Red Queen running in Carroll’s novel? NEW MICROBIOL. 2012;35:377-386.PubMed

17.

Lemey P, Salemi M, Vandamme AM. The phylogenetic handbook: a practical approach to phylogenetic analysis and hypothesis testing. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2009.CrossRef

18.

Svicher V, D’Arrigo R, Alteri C, Andreoni M, Angarano G, Antinori A, et al. Performance of genotypic tropism testing in clinical practice using the enhanced sensitivity version of Trofile as reference assay: results from the OSCAR Study Group. New Microbiol. 2010;33:195–206.PubMed

19.

Ciccozzi M, Madeddu G, Lo Presti A, Cella E, Giovanetti M, Budroni C, et al. HIV type 1 origin and transmission dynamics among different risk groups in Sardinia: molecular epidemiology within the close boundaries of an Italian island. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2013;29:404–10.PubMed

20.

Ciccozzi M, Callegaro A, Lo Presti A, Cella E, Giovanetti M, Salpini R, et al. When phylogenetic analysis complements the epidemiological investigation: a case of HIV-2 infection. Italy New Microbiol. 2013;36:93–6.PubMed

21.

Falasca F, Montagna C, Maida P, Bucci M, Fantauzzi A, Mezzaroma I, et al. Analysis of intracellula human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 drug resistance mutations in multi-failed HIV-1-infected patients treated with a salvage regimen: 72-week follow-up. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2013;19:E318–21.CrossRefPubMed

22.

de Oliveira T, Deforche K, Cassol S, Salminen M, Paraskevis D, Seebregts C, et al. An automated genotyping system for analysis of HIV-1 and other microbial sequences. Bioinformatics. 2005;21:3797–800.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Bon I, Ciccozzi M, Zehender G, Biagetti C, Verrucchi G, Lai A, et al. HIV-1 subtype C transmission network: the phylogenetic reconstruction strongly supports the epidemiological data. J Clin Virol. 2010;48:212–4.CrossRefPubMed

24.

Ciccozzi M, Lo Presti A, Cenci A, Staltari O, Buttò S, Equestre M, et al. May phylogenetic analysis support epidemiological investigation in identifying the source of HIV infection? AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2011;27:455–7.PubMed

25.

BEAST package version 1.8. Available at http://beast.bio.ed.ac.uk.

26.

Callegaro A, Svicher V, Alteri C, Lo Presti A, Valenti D, Goglio A, et al. Epidemiological network analysis in HIV-1 B infected patients diagnosed in Italy between 2000 and 2008. Infect Genet Evol. 2011;11:624–32.CrossRefPubMed

27.

WHO. Progress report 2011: Global HIV/AIDS response. Epidemic update and health sector progress towards universal access. Geneva: WHO; 2011.

Title: An epidemiological investigation to reconstruct a probable human immunodeficiency virus -1 transmission network: a case report
Authors: Sara Serafino
Eleonora Cella
Claudia Montagna
Eugenio Nelson Cavallari
Pietro Vittozzi
Alessandra Lo Presti
Marta Giovanetti
Laura Mazzuti
Ombretta Turriziani
Giancarlo Ceccarelli
Gabriella d’Ettorre
Vincenzo Vullo
Massimo Ciccozzi
Publication date: 01-12-2015
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Journal of Medical Case Reports / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1752-1947
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13256-015-0717-2

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

An epidemiological investigation to reconstruct a probable human immunodeficiency virus -1 transmission network: a case report

Abstract

Background

Case presentation

Conclusion

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Case presentation

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

Ultrasonographic diagnosis of congenital membranous jejunal stenosis and gastric duplication cyst in a newborn: a case report

Isolated thyroid metastasis revealed an unknown lung adenocarcinoma: a case report

Isolated fracture of the humeral trochlea: a case report and review of the literature

Variant angina in moyamoya disease – a correlative etiology and different presentation: a case report

Long-term observation of incremental response and antibodies to voltage-gated calcium channels in patients with Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome: two case reports

Ortner’s syndrome presenting as thoracic aortic aneurysm mimicking thoracic malignancy: a case report