A New Migration Map of HIV-1 CRF07_BC in China: Analysis of Sequences from 12 Provinces over a Decade

BACKGROUND: As one of prevalence HIV-1 strains in IDUs in Asia, the origination and full transmission map of CRF07_BC is of great interested and remains unclear. In the study, we collected 769 CRF07_BC derived sequences (including 45 sequences generated in our laboratory) from 12 provinces in China for reconstructing transmission map. Meanwhile, ample historic epidemic evidences were also reviewed to assist sequences analysis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the study, we collected 769 CRF07_BC derived sequences and identified 138 independent sequences from 12 provinces in China for subsequent phylogeographic tree analysis, Bayes Factor test and the estimation of state tMRCA. The analyses demonstrated that CRF07_BC was originated in 1993 in IDU in Yunnan province and then initially spread to Guangxi (eastern neighbor to Yunnan) in 1994, to Xinjiang (northwest) in 1995 and to Sichuan (northern neighbor to Yunnan) in 1996. The subsequent transmissions occurred from Yunnan to Liaoning (northeast) in 1997 and to Jiangsu in 1998. Interestingly, after the early introduction of CRF07_BC into Guangxi, Xinjiang and Sichuan, these three regions served as secondary epicenters for further spreading into Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Beijing and Hunan during 1999–2001. These analyzed results are in accordance with early epidemic investigations. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data not just reconstructed the migration map of CRF07_BC, but also firstly revealed the active roles of these secondary epicenters in the dynamic migration of CRF07_BC in China.