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Frontiers of Medicine >> 2020, Volume 14, Issue 2 doi: 10.1007/s11684-020-0756-y

Molecular network-based intervention brings us closer to ending the HIV pandemic

. Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology of National Health Commission, Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.. Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang 110001, China.. Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Hangzhou 310003, China.. Department of AIDS and STD, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai 200336, China

Accepted: 2020-03-24 Available online: 2020-03-24

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Abstract

Precise identification of HIV transmission among populations is a key step in public health responses. However, the HIV transmission network is usually difficult to determine. HIV molecular networks can be determined by phylogenetic approach, genetic distance-based approach, and a combination of both approaches. These approaches are increasingly used to identify transmission networks among populations, reconstruct the history of HIV spread, monitor the dynamics of HIV transmission, guide targeted intervention on key subpopulations, and assess the effects of interventions. Simulation and retrospective studies have demonstrated that these molecular network-based interventions are more cost-effective than random or traditional interventions. However, we still need to address several challenges to improve the practice of molecular network-guided targeting interventions to finally end the HIV epidemic. The data remain limited or difficult to obtain, and more automatic real-time tools are required. In addition, molecular and social networks must be combined, and technical parameters and ethnic issues warrant further studies.

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