Subtypes of HIV

Common card · No. 252534

There are two main subtypes of HIV, known as HIV type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV type 2 (HIV-2). These subtypes have distinct genetic differences and are associated with different epidemiological patterns and clinical characteristics. HIV-1 exhibits a genetic relation to viruses indigenous to chimpanzees and gorillas that inhabit West Africa, while HIV-2 viruses are affiliated with viruses present in the sooty mangabey, a vulnerable West African primate. HIV-1 viruses can be further stratified into groups M, N, O, and P. Among these, HIV-1 group M viruses are the most prevalent, infecting nearly 90% of people living with HIV and are responsible for the global AIDS pandemic. Group M can be further subdivided into subtypes based on genetic sequence data. Certain subtypes are known for their increased virulence or drug resistance to different medications used to treat HIV. HIV-2 viruses are generally considered to be less virulent and less transmissible than HIV-1 M group viruses, although HIV-2 is...

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