Resumo

RANGEL, Héctor R; GARZARO, Domingo  e  PUJOL, Flor H. Genetic diversity of human immunodeficiency virus in the americas, with emphasis on the venezuelan epidemics. INCI [online]. 2009, vol.34, n.3, pp.163-169. ISSN 0378-1844.

Around 3 million people are thought to be infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the Americas, and around 110000 in Venezuela, where HIV subtype distribution is quite homogenous, with mainly subtype B and few cases of non B subtypes or recombinant forms. The high frequency of subtype B in the Americas is probably due to a founder effect of this viral variant around 1960-1970. The epidemic might have started in Haiti and then was disseminated to other countries. The increase in frequency of non B subtypes in the Americas has been associated to several risk factors: intravenous drug abuse, commercial sex and sanitary and military movilizations. In countries like Cuba, Brasil and countries from the Southern Cone, the presence of non B subtype and recombinant forms is more frequent than in the rest of the region. This situation might mirror what we will find in all the Americas in the next decades.

Palavras-chave : Diversidad; Evolución; Inmunodeficiencia; Subtipos; Virus.