Eight genotypes of hepatitis B virus (A-H) and subgenotypes have been recognized worldwide. However, there is limited information on prevalent genotypes in many countries in Africa. This study was undertaken to determine the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotypes in Kenya. Seropositive HBV blood samples from a blood donor setting were used in the study. HBV genotypes were determined in 52 nucleic acid-positive samples using specific primer in a nested PCR and sequencing employed in the HBV genotyping. This study shows presence of HBV variants with genotypes A (88%), E (8%) and D (4%). In conclusion, we found that HBV genotype A is the most predominant genotype in Kenya with both subgenotype A1 and A2 present. Genotype D and E are also present in our population. This demonstrates that there could be a high genetic diversity of HBV in Kenya.

The genetic subtypes of HIV-1 circulating in northern Kenya have not been characterized. Here we report the partial sequencing and analysis of samples collected in the years 2003 and 2004 from 72 HIV-1-positive patients in northern Kenya, which borders Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan. From the analysis of partial env sequences, it was determined that 50% were subtype A, 39% subtype C, and 11% subtype D. This shows that in the northern border region of Kenya subtypes A and C are the dominant HIV-1 subtypes in circulation. Ethiopia is dominated mainly by HIV-1 subtype C, which incidentally is the dominant subtype in the town of Moyale, which borders Ethiopia. These results show that cross-border movements play an important role in the circulation of subtypes in Northern Kenya.

A study on the genetic diversity of HIV-1 subtypes present along the coastal strip of Kenya, i.e., Kilifi, Mombasa, Msambweni, and Malindi districts, was carried out. DNA sequences for regions encoding a portion of the env-gp41 region of the virus were generated by PCR and sequenced directly. Eighty six samples that were successfully sequenced were analyzed. From the analysis, 86% (74) were subtype A1, 5% (4) were subtype C, 8% (7) were subtype D, and 1% (1) was subtype G. This study shows that HIV-1 subtype A1 is the most dominant subtype in circulation in this region.

BackgroundInfection with HIV-1 is characterized by genetic diversity such that specific viral subtypes are predominant in specific geographical areas. The genetic variation in HIV-1 pol and env genes is responsible for rapid development of resistance to current drugs. This variation has influenced disease progression among the infected and necessitated the search for alternative drugs with novel targets. Though successfully used in developed countries, these novel drugs are still limited in resource-poor countries. The aim of this study was to determine HIV-1 subtypes, recombination, dual infections and viral tropism of HIV-1 among Kenyan patients prior to widespread use of antiretroviral drugs.MethodsRemnant blood samples from consenting sexually transmitted infection (STI) patients in Nairobi were collected between February and May 2001 and stored. Polymerase chain reaction and cloning of portions of HIV-1 gag, pol and env genes was carried out followed by automated DNA sequencing.ResultsTwenty HIV-1 positive samples (from 11 females and 9 males) were analyzed. The average age of males (32.5 years) and females (26.5 years) was significantly different (p value < 0.0001). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 90% (18/20) were concordant HIV-1 subtypes: 12 were subtype A1; 2, A2; 3, D and 1, C. Two samples (10%) were discordant showing different subtypes in the three regions. Of 19 samples checked for co-receptor usage, 14 (73.7%) were chemokine co-receptor 5 (CCR5) variants while three (15.8%) were CXCR4 variants. Two had dual/mixed co-receptor use with X4 variants being minor population.ConclusionHIV-1 subtype A accounted for majority of the infections. Though perceived to be a high risk population, the prevalence of recombination in this sample was low with no dual infections detected. Genotypic co-receptor analysis showed that most patients harbored viruses that are predicted to use CCR5.

Background: During the past 35 years, highly effective ART has saved the lives of millions of people worldwide by suppressing viruses to undetectable levels. However, this does not translate to the absence of viruses in the body as HIV persists in latent reservoirs. Indeed, rebounded HIV has been recently observed in the Mississippi and California infants previously thought to have been cured. Hence, much remains to be learned about HIV latency, and the search for the best strategy to eliminate reservoir is the direction current research is taking. A systems-level approach that fully recapitulate the dynamics and complexity of HIV-1 latency in vivo and applicable in human therapy is prudent for HIV eradication to be more feasible. Objectives: The main barriers preventing the cure of HIV with antiretroviral therapy have been identified, progress has been made in the understanding of the therapeutic targets to which potentially eradicating drugs could be directed, integrative strategies have been proposed and clinical trials with various alternatives are underway. The aim of this review is to provide an update on the main advances in HIV eradication, with particular emphasis on the obstacles to HIV eradication and the different strategies proposed. We highlight the core challenges of each strategy and propose the most promising strategy and newresearch avenues in HIV eradication strategies. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search of all English-language articles published between 2015 and 2019 using MEDLINE (PubMed) and Google scholar. Where available, medical subject headings (MeSH) were used as search terms and included: HIV, HIV latency, HIV reservoir, latency reactivation and HIV cure. Additional search terms consisted ofsuppression, persistence, establishment, generation, and formation. A total of 250 articles were found usingthe above search terms. Of these, 89 relevant articles related to HIV-1 latency establishment and eradication strategies were collected and reviewed, with no limitation of study design. Additional studies (commonly referenced and/or older and more recent articles of significance) were selected from bibliographies and references listed in the primary resources. Results : :In general, when exploring the literature, there are four main strategies heavily researched and provides promising strategies to the elimination of latent HIV: Haematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation, Shock and Kill Strategy, Gene-specific transcriptional activation using RNA-guided CRISPR-Cas9 system, and Block and Lock strategy. Most of these strategies studies are applicable in vitro, leaving many questions about the extent to which, or if any, these strategies are applicable to complex picture in vivo. However, the success of these strategies at least shows in part that HIV-1 can be cured, though some strategies are too invasive and expensive to become a standard of care for all HIV-infected patients. Conclusion: Recent advances hold promise for the ultimate cure of HIV infection. A systems-level approach that fully recapitulate the dynamics and complexity of HIV-1 latency in vivo and applicable in human therapy is prudent for HIV eradication to be more feasible. Future studies aimed at achieving a prolonged HIV remission state are more likely to be successful if they focus on a combination strategy including the block and kill, and stem cell approaches. These strategies propose a functional cure with minimal toxicity for patients. We believe that the cure of HIV infection will be attained in the short term if a strategy based on purging the reservoirs is complemented with an aggressive HAART strategy.