High-level resistance to zidovudine but not to zalcitabine or didanosine in human immunodeficiency virus from children receiving antiretroviral therapy.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates from children receiving long-term therapy with an alternating regimen of zidovudine and zalcitabine, or with didanosine monotherapy, were evaluated for resistance to zidovudine, zalcitabine, and didanosine, and for mutations known to be associated with zidovudine or didanosine resistance. HIV-1 from four of six patients receiving zidovudine with zalcitabine developed high-level resistance to zidovudine. A mutation in the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase that is highly associated with zidovudine resistance was identified in all four zidovudine-resistant posttherapy isolates. In contrast, none of the HIV-1 isolates from the seven patients receiving didanosine developed high-level resistance to this agent, despite the identification of a didanosine-associated mutation in six of these posttherapy isolates, although small decreases in sensitivity to didanosine were observed. These results indicate that nucleoside analog-associated mutations in HIV-1 occur frequently in children receiving long-term antiretroviral therapy and that alternating combination therapy does not prevent the development of resistance to zidovudine. They also suggest that there may be differences in the degree of resistance conferred by mutations that result from therapy with different nucleoside analogs. These findings underscore the need for studies to define the clinical importance of these mutations, and for treatment strategies to overcome the emergence of viral resistance in vivo.