Objective:ToanalyzemoleculartrendsoftheHIVepidemicinShenzhen.Methods:SerumcollectedfromShenzhenAIDSpatientsbetween1992-1999wasanalyzedusingmoleculartechniques.DNAfragmentsoftheHIV-1EnvgenewereamplifiedbynestedPCRfromunculturedperipheralbloodmononuclearcells(PBMCs)fromtheseserumsamples.TheC2-C3regionoftheEnvgenewassequencedandanalyzed.Specifichigh-riskbehaviorswerealsoanalyzed.Results:WefoundthatthetransmissionofHIVinthecitywasmainlythroughsexualbehaviors(46.0%).TherewerefourHIV-1subtypes:B′,B,CandEwith6.31%,7.95%,3.09%and8.92%genepergenceinsideeachsubtypeinShenzhen.Theseresultssuggestedthatepidemictimeswere6,8,3and9respectively.ThemainepidemicsubtypeswereEandBstrains.AIDSpatient''''''''santigenicvariationwasslightlyhigherthanthatofHIVinfectedinpiduals.Conclusion:SurveillancedatareflecttrendsandtheepidemictimeofHIV,whichwillbeusefulforpolicymakerstoformulateeffectivestrategiesofHIV/AIDSpreventionandcontrolinShenzhen.
