Different types of HIV
There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2.
Most people living with HIV have HIV-1. Of the approximately 40 million people living with HIV worldwide, approximately 1-2 million of them have HIV-2. HIV-2 is less easily passed on than HIV-1, and with this type of virus it takes longer before you get ill.
HIV-1 consists of several groups: M, N, O and P. Group M is by far the largest and has spread all over the world.
Group M is further split into subtypes, based on DNA differences. These are the subtypes A-L, which are found in different parts of the world.
- Subtype A: found mainly in West and Central Africa
- Subtype B: found in Europe, Australia, Japan, the Middle East, North Africa and North and South America
- Subtype C: found in Southern and East Africa, India, Nepal and parts of China
- Subtypes F and G: found in Africa and Eastern Europe
- The other subtypes are found, in particular, in Africa, as well as the Caribbean and South America