Molecular Transmission Network of Newly Reported HIV Infections in Pengzhou, Sichuan Province: A Study Based on Genomics and Spatial Epidemiology

Dan Yuan, Xia Zhong, Yiping Li, Qinying He, Na Li, Hanqi Li, Yang Liu, Ling Li, Linglin Zhang, Yi Yang () and Shu Liang ()
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Dan Yuan: Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610044, China
Xia Zhong: School of Management, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Healthy Sichuan Research Institute, Chengdu 611137, China
Yiping Li: Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610044, China
Qinying He: Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610047, China
Na Li: Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Pengzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 611930, China
Hanqi Li: Department of Geography & Anthropology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Yang Liu: Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chengdu Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610047, China
Ling Li: Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610044, China
Linglin Zhang: Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610044, China
Yi Yang: School of Management, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine/Healthy Sichuan Research Institute, Chengdu 611137, China
Shu Liang: Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chengdu 610044, China

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Objective: The objective of this study was to understand the molecular transmission characteristics of newly reported HIV infections in the city of Pengzhou, Sichuan Province, to analyze the risk factors of transmission network and spatial clustering and the transmission characteristics, and to provide a scientific basis for precision prevention and intervention. Methods: Anticoagulated whole blood was collected from newly reported HIV infections in Pengzhou from March 2019 to August 2021. After the plasma was isolated, the HIV-1 pol gene was amplified and sequenced by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The obtained gene sequences were used to construct a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree for the analysis of virus subtypes, and a molecular transmission network was constructed using the genetic distance method to evaluate the transmission pattern of people living with HIV/AIDS in Pengzhou. A logistic regression model was used to find out the potential risk factors for entering the molecular transmission network with the number of nodes ≥ 2. Spatial analysis is used to show the geographical pattern of the proportion of newly reported HIV infections entering the molecular transmission network, and a flow map is used to show the intensity of transmission within and between townships. Results: A total of 463 newly reported HIV-infection sequences were obtained in this study, including 237 cases (51.19%) of CRF01_ AE, 159 cases (34.34%) of CRF07_BC, 45 cases (9.72%) of B, 15 cases (3.24%) of CRF08_BC and 7 cases (1.5%) of others. The number of clusters was the highest when the gene distance was 0.009, with a total of 246 sequences entering the network, forming 54 clusters, and the network entry rate was 55.36%. There were 170 sequences with more than two nodes in the network sequence. The logistic regression showed that compared with age < 50 years old, age ≥ 50 years old has a higher risk of transmission (OR = 3.43, 95% CI = 2.06–5.71); compared with farmers, the risk of transmission within industry is lower (OR = 0.046, 95% CI = 0.25–0.87); and compared with CRF07_BC, CRF01_AE (OR = 6.09, 95% CI = 3.60–10.30) and B (OR = 20.31, 95% CI = 8.94–46.13) had a higher risk of transmission. Men aged ≥ 50 years are mainly clustered with women between 50 and 70 years of age. In addition to being clustered with gay men, there are nine (50%) and three (16.7%) chains of transmission between gay men and heterosexual men and women, respectively. In the geographical space, there is no hot spot clustering of the molecular propagation network. The subtype B was mainly distributed in the town of Tianpeng and formed transmission networks in eastern Pengzhou;0020CRF01_AE is mainly distributed in the town of Lichun and formed transmission networks in the west and north of Pengzhou. Conclusion: This study reveals the characteristics and influencing factors of molecular network transmission in the region, as well as the spatial transmission characteristics of newly reported HIV infections in recent years, and reveals the geographical differences in HIV-1 transmission. The results provide a scientific basis for the development of local AIDS-specific intervention measures.

Keywords: HIV-1; molecular network; spatial analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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