Background:
The advent of resistance-associated mutations in HIV-1 is a barrier to the
success of the ARTs.
Objective:
In this study, the abundance of HIV-1 infection in Iranian children, and also detection of
the TDR in naïve HIV-1 infected pediatric (under 12 years old) were evaluated.
Materials:
From June 2014 to January 2019, a total of 544 consecutive treatment-naïve HIV-1-
infected individuals enrolled in this study. After RNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing of
the HIV-1 pol gene, the DRM and phylogenetic analysis were successfully performed on the plasma
specimens of the ART-naïve HIV-1-infected-children under 12 years old. The DRMs were recognized
using the Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database.
Results:
Out of the 544 evaluated treatment-naïve HIV-1-infected individuals, 15 (2.8%) cases were
children under 12 years old. The phylogenetic analyses of the amplified region of pol gene indicated
that all of the 15 HIV-1-infected pediatric patients were infected by CRF35_AD, and a total of
13.3% (2/15) of these children were infected with HIV-1 variants with SDRMs (one child harbored
two related SDRMs [D67N, V179F], and another child had three related SDRMs [M184V, T215F,
and K103N]), according to the last algorithm of the WHO. No PIs-related SDRMs were observed in
HIV-1-infected children.
Conclusion:
The current study demonstrated that a total of 13.3% of treatment-naïve HIV-1-infected
Iranian pediatrics (under 12 years old) were infected with HIV-1 variants with SDRMs. Therefore, it
seems that screening to recognize resistance-associated mutations before the initiation of ARTs
among Iranian children is essential for favorable medication efficacy and dependable prognosis.
HIV‐1 drug resistance among individuals who seroconverted in the ASPIRE dapivirine ring trial
