Near Full-Length Genome Characterization of two Novel Unique Recombinants (CRF01_AE/CRF07_BC) in Beijing, China.

With the prevalence of HIV-1 CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC subtypes in China, the co-circulation of multiple subtypes in HIV-1 positive population may result in dual infection or super-infection in the population, leading to the emergence of unique recombinant forms (URFs) of the HIV-1 virus. In this study, two second-generation unique recombinant strains, BI0114 and BI0116, were identified, and their near full-length genome sequences were obtained; recombination analysis showed that both sequences were the isoform of URF_0107, and they were second-generation unique recombinant strains formed by the recombination of CRF01_AE and CRF07_BC, and the isoforms were CRF01_AE and CRF0107_BC, respectively. The continued emergence of novel CRF01_AE/CRF07_BC recombinant strains suggests that the epidemiological as well as preventive and control situation of HIV-1 is complex, and that the relevant health authorities urgently need to establish to respond to the challenges that changes in the pattern of strain recombination.