Viruses (Dec 2021)

Epidemiology and Transmitted HIV-1 Drug Resistance among Treatment-Naïve Individuals in Israel, 2010–2018

  • Tali Wagner,
  • Neta S. Zuckerman,
  • Tami Halperin,
  • Daniel Chemtob,
  • Itzchak Levy,
  • Daniel Elbirt,
  • Eduardo Shachar,
  • Karen Olshtain-Pops,
  • Hila Elinav,
  • Michal Chowers,
  • Valery Itsomin,
  • Klaris Riesenberg,
  • Marina Wax,
  • Rachel Shirazi,
  • Yael Gozlan,
  • Natasha Matus,
  • Shirley Girshengorn,
  • Rotem Marom,
  • Ella Mendelson,
  • Dan Turner,
  • Orna Mor

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/v14010071
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 1
p. 71

Abstract

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Despite the low prevalence of HIV-1 in Israel, continuous waves of immigration may have impacted the local epidemic. We characterized all people diagnosed with HIV-1 in Israel in 2010–2018. The demographics and clinical data of all individuals (n = 3639) newly diagnosed with HIV-1 were retrieved. Subtypes, transmitted drug-resistance mutations (TDRM), and phylogenetic relations, were determined in >50% of them. In 39.1%, HIV-1 transmission was through heterosexual contact; 34.3% were men who have sex with men (MSM); and 10.4% were people who inject drugs. Many (>65%) were immigrants. Israeli-born individuals were mostly (78.3%) MSM, whereas only 9% of those born in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EEU/CA), were MSM. The proportion of individuals from SSA decreased through the years 2010–2018 (21.1% in 2010–2012; 16.8% in 2016–2018) whereas those from EEU/CA increased significantly (21% in 2010–2012; 27.8% in 2016–2018, p < 0.001). TDRM were identified in 12.1%; 3.7, 3.3 and 6.6% had protease inhibitors (PI), nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI), and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) TDRM, respectively, with the overall proportion remaining stable in the studied years. None had integrase TDRM. Subtype B was present in 43.9%, subtype A in 25.2% (A6 in 22.8 and A1 in 2.4%) and subtype C in 17.1% of individuals. Most MSM had subtype B. Subtype C carriers formed small clusters (with one unexpected MSM cluster), A1 formed a cluster mainly of locally-born patients with NNRTI mutations, and A6 formed a looser cluster of individuals mainly from EEU. Israelis, <50 years old, carrying A1, had the highest risk for having TDRM. In conclusion, an increase in immigrants from EEU/CA and a decrease in those from SSA characterized the HIV-1 epidemic in 2010–2018. Baseline resistance testing should still be recommended to identify TDRM, and improve surveillance and care.

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