Discovery of a Highly Virulent HIV Variant

The virulence of different HIV variants is reflected by HIV RNA levels in the setpoint window (within 6–24 months of a positive test obtained early after infection) and rate of CD4 cell decline. Now, a group of investigators evaluating these measures in cohorts of patients with HIV have discovered a highly virulent variant.

Wymant and colleagues identified 109 individuals in Europe (mostly from the Netherlands) with markedly elevated HIV RNA levels in the setpoint window. Whole genome sequencing of virus from these individuals confirmed they had a distinct HIV variant called “virulent sub-type B” (VB). Individuals infected with the VB variant had approximately 0.5 to 0.7 log₁₀ higher HIV RNA levels than those infected with non-VB HIV strains…