A massive study published in The Lancet, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals, examines the 35-year genetic journey of the HIV-1 virus from 1990 to 2024. Prof. Dr. Murat Sayan from Near East University was part of the international team leading the study, which was conducted under the leadership of Oxford University.
Researchers from around the world analyzed approximately 1.4 million HIV-1 samples collected from 154 different countries. The study, led by Oxford University, reveals the most comprehensive and up-to-date map of the global distribution of HIV-1 subtypes and hybrid forms ever created. Prof. Dr. Murat Sayan from Near East University, which is among the top 500 universities in the world, was also part of the research team.
Half of Worldwide HIV Cases are from the Same Variant!
The findings revealed that 48.7% of global HIV-1 infections, almost half, are caused by the C subtype genetic variant alone. This is followed by the A subtype (11.5%), the B subtype (10.3%), and unique hybrid forms (5.3%).
The C subtype is dominant in South Africa, Ethiopia, and South Asia, while the B subtype is prominent in North and Latin America and Western Europe. In Southeast Asia and East Asia, hybrid variants were identified as the dominant type.
A Different Virus in Each Region: Alarm Signals in Europe and Asia
While the global HIV-1 variant distribution has remained generally stable between 2000 and 2024, some regions show remarkable changes. The share of hybrid HIV types has increased significantly in Western and Central Europe. This trend is partly attributed to migration waves from West Africa and Eastern Europe.
In East Asia, a nearly threefold increase was observed in the CRF07_BC variant. Central Africa exhibits the highest HIV-1 genetic diversity among all regions. Experts emphasize that these variations may reflect not only the biological characteristics of the virus but also social, political, and economic dynamics.
Making Vaccine Development Efforts More Difficult!
The genetic diversity of HIV remains one of the biggest obstacles to developing an effective vaccine. Researchers point out that even the diversity of the influenza virus in a single individual is comparable to the global diversity of HIV in a single year; this highlights the challenges of vaccine development.
This research provides a strong roadmap for vaccine designers by revealing, with concrete data, which variant is dominant in which region. Researchers also warn that changing variant distributions can complicate diagnosis and viral load testing.
Global Surveillance Network Established
One of the most important outcomes of the study was the establishment of the ‘Global HIV Molecular Epidemiology Collaboration’ network, implemented for the continuous and effective monitoring of HIV. This international platform, previously operating under the name ‘WHO-UNAIDS HIV Isolation and Characterization Network’, aims to keep the distribution of HIV-1 variants up-to-date and provide scientific data for global health policies.
Prof. Dr. Murat Sayan: “The research provides an important reference source to the scientific community by revealing the genetic map of HIV worldwide.”
Prof. Dr. Murat Sayan, a researcher at Near East University, is one of the members of the international research team. Prof. Dr. Sayan is also an active member of the ‘Global HIV Molecular Epidemiology Collaboration’ network. He emphasizes the importance of regularly monitoring the genetic diversity of HIV-1 and changes in its regional distribution. Sayan said, “The genetic structure of HIV is constantly changing. Therefore, molecular epidemiological monitoring studies conducted on a global scale play a critical role in both updating diagnostic methods and accurately planning future vaccine and treatment strategies. This research provides an important reference source to the scientific community by revealing the genetic map of HIV worldwide.”
Details of the research can be found at the following link.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(26)00142-8/fulltext