Molecular and geographic characterization of hiv-1 bf recombinant viruses.

•Several BF recombination patterns found in 16 countries; most from Brazil.•Highest recombination frequencies in pol, gag and env genes; lowest in tat and rev.•Predominance of subtype B in most accessory and regulatory genes, except in vif.•There are preferential recombination points within the HIV genome.•X4/dual tropism is less frequent among F subtype sequences, compared with B subtype.