Diversity in virus populations from genital secretions and peripheral blood from women recently infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

In order to develop a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 vaccine with global efficacy, it is important to evaluate the virus populations that are transmitted to individuals living in high-incidence areas. To determine the nature of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 population transmitted to women during heterosexual contact, we examined the diversity of the proviral envelope gene in infected cells in both genital secretions and peripheral blood from six recently seroconverted Kenyan women. Heterogeneous virus populations were present in cervical secretions and/or peripheral blood shortly after seroconversion for five of six infected individuals, and tissue-specific variants were identified in several cases.