Genetic variability between isolates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 2 is comparable to the variability among HIV type 1.

The isolation from macaques of retroviruses related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) led to the identification of a second group of human retroviruses (termed HIV-2), which are prevalent in West Africa and closely related to the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). We have cloned and determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the human West African retrovirus HIV-2NIH-Z and compared it to that of a previously described strain of HIV-2 (HIV-2ROD) as well as to SIV and HIV-1. We have reached the following conclusions: (i) The HIV-2 isolates are (slightly) more closely related to each other than to SIV, compatible with their isolation from different species. (ii) The variability between HIV-2 isolates is similar in degree and kind to that found among HIV-1 isolates. The equivalent degrees of intragroup divergence suggest that HIV-1 and HIV-2 have existed in their present ranges in Africa for approximately equal lengths of time. The fact that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is widespread in regions where HIV-1 is prevalent but not in regions where HIV-2 is prevalent suggests a substantial difference in the morbidity rates associated with HIV-1 vs. HIV-2 infection. (iii) HIV-2 and SIV are related to each other more closely than they are to HIV-1.