The contribution of Angola to the early spread of the HIV-1 epidemic

Poster presented at the 22nd International HIV Dynamics and Evolution. Budapest, Hungary, 13-16 May 2015

"Understanding how, when and why the HIV-1 virus adapted to the human population and become pandemic is crucial to prevent its propagation and the establishment of other potential future viral pandemics. It is known that the HIV-1 group M epidemic started in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and soon spread across the Congo river to Brazzaville located in Republic of Congo (RC), and further to Lubumbashi and Mbuji-Mayi (DRC), around 1930s (~1937 [95% Bayesian Credible Interval: 1919-1957]). Angola borders and has long-term links with DRC and RC as well as high levels of HIV-1 genetic diversity 2. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of this country in the initial spread of the HIV-1 pandemic."

Supported by European Funds through grant ʻBio-Molecular and Epidemiological Surveillance of HIV Transmitted Drug Resistance, Hepatitis Co-Infections and Ongoing Transmission Patterns in Europe (BEST HOPE) (project funded through HIVERA: Harmonizing Integrating Vitalizing European Research on HIV/Aids, grant 249697); by LʼOréal Portugal Medals of Honor for Women in Science 2012 (financed through LʼOréal Portugal, Comissão Nacional da Unesco and Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia); by the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek –Flanders (FWO) grant G.0692.14, by an National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant AI087520, by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal, (grants PTDC/SAU-EPI/122400/2010, VIH/SAU/0029/2011 and PTDC/AFR/100646/2008) and by NEH- Prof. William Schneider - An International Collaboration on the Political, Social, and Cultural History of the Emergence of HIV/AIDS. The computational resources and services used in this work were provided by the Hercules Foundation and the Flemish Government – department EWI-FWO Krediet aan Navorsers (Theys, KAN2012 1.5.249.12.). I.B. is supported by a post-doc fellowship (SFRH/BPD/76225/2011) from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), Portugal. K.T. is supported by a postdoctoral grant from FWO