Bottlenecks in HIV-1 transmission: insights from the study of founder viruses

SB Joseph, R Swanstrom, ADM Kashuba… - Nature Reviews …, 2015 - nature.com
Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2015nature.com
HIV-1 infection typically results from the transmission of a single viral variant, the
transmitted/founder (T/F) virus. Studies of these HIV-1 variants provide critical information
about the transmission bottlenecks and the selective pressures acting on the virus in the
transmission fluid and in the recipient tissues. These studies reveal that T/F virus
phenotypes are shaped by stochastic and selective forces that restrict transmission and may
be targets for prevention strategies. In this Review, we highlight how studies of T/F viruses …
Abstract
HIV-1 infection typically results from the transmission of a single viral variant, the transmitted/founder (T/F) virus. Studies of these HIV-1 variants provide critical information about the transmission bottlenecks and the selective pressures acting on the virus in the transmission fluid and in the recipient tissues. These studies reveal that T/F virus phenotypes are shaped by stochastic and selective forces that restrict transmission and may be targets for prevention strategies. In this Review, we highlight how studies of T/F viruses contribute to a better understanding of the biology of HIV-1 transmission and discuss how these findings affect HIV-1 prevention strategies.
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