Detection of HIV-1 Genetic Variation in Gag Gene, Subtyping, and Phylogenetic Tree at Thi-Qar Province, South of Iraq

Abstract Background: HIV constitutes a major health problem for the individual and society and is a threat to public health. The World Health Organization aims to eliminate this threat by 2030. Objectives: This study aims to detect the genetic variation in gag gene and determine the subtype of HIV in Thi-Qar Province South of Iraq. Materials and Methods: The current experimental study extended from February 2022 to February 2023. HIV RNA was extracted from 39 samples infected of previously diagnosed HIV-infected patients by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). assay. Positive samples were amplified, confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and 11 samples were sent to Macrogen, South Korea, to conduct sequence to analysis by BLAST-NCBI and other bioinformatics application. Results: The current study showed the isolates belong to subtype A1, and the replacement of valine with isoleucine at position 16 in amino acid sequence. The current study was recorded the isolates in the Genbank with the accession numbers of the gag gene sequence (LC739756, LC739757, LC739758, LC739759, LC739760, LC739761, and LC7397-62), as well as the accession numbers of the gag amino acid sequence (BDU28062, BDU28063, BDU28064, BDU28065, BDU28066, BDU28067, and BDU28068). Conclusion: HIV-1 subtype A1 in Thi-Qar province, valine at position 16 instead isoleucine. Because of the absence of a previous study in Iraq on HIV gag gene variation, subtypes identification, there is a need to conduct more studies to assist public health plans in limiting the distribution of the virus, treating, and eliminating infected people.