ABSTRACT: Purpose: To determine the mutation rate in the V 3 region during efficient anti-HIV therapy in otder to evaluate the HIV-1 replication rate in patients with undetectable viraemia.
Methods: The V3 region of DNA from sever PBMC samples was amplified and directly sequenced in 18 patients who ahd undetectable plasma viraemia and declining HIV-1 DNA levels after up to 30 months.
Results: In 8 patients, no variations were seen. In 10 patients, we observed V3 changes. The mean changing rate in all patients was approx. 1.3% (median 1%; range: 0-5%). Most of these changes (69%) occurred during the first sample interval, although the difference to other time intervals was not statistically significant.
Conclusions: Variations in the V3 region may occur in some patients during potent anti-HIV therapy despite undetectable viraemia (<50 copies/mL) and declining HIV-1 DNA. It is possible that most of these changes occur during the period after initiation of therapy.
