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Why there is variation in the rate of HIV disease progression remains unclear. Recent studies have shown that between 20% and 35% of HIV-infected individuals have multiple founder variants. Might these individuals show faster disease progression? To assess this possibility, researchers used sequencing data from HIV breakthrough infections diagnosed in the STEP and RV144 vaccine efficacy trials.
Analysis of data from 63 STEP trial participants showed no association between sequence diversity and HIV viral load at the time of diagnosis. However, during the first year after infection, the mean viral load was higher in enrollees with multiple founders (difference, adjusted for baseline participant characteristics and time since infection, +0.37 …