A study to solve the mystery of AIDS pandemic by expeditions into the most remote areas in the Congo basin.

本研究的目的是澄清艾滋病流行的奥秘（何时，何地，如何发生？）以及艾滋病毒的起源。为此，我们加速进入刚果民主共和国和刚果共和国的偏远省份。除了传统的分子流行病学技术外，我们还采用了所谓的第二代高通量DNA测序仪。到目前为止，艾滋病毒基因型最多样化的地区是刚果盆地的中部地区和附近地区，其中大部分地区被巨大的刚果河及其众多支流所覆盖。在这些地区，不仅多种基因型的艾滋病毒毒株共同传播，而且两种不同基因型的艾滋病毒毒株的双重感染及其基因组的自然重组似乎也很有可能不断产生新型病毒。

The purpose of this study is to clarify the mystery of AIDS pandemic (when, where and how did it occur?) as well as the origin of HIV. To do so, we have expedited into far remote provinces in both Democratic Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo. In addition to the conventional molecular epidemiological techniquues, we also employed the so-called second generation high-throughput DNA sequencer. So far the areas showing the most diversified profiles of HIV genotypes are the central region of Congo basin and nearby areas the majority of which is covered with the giant Congo River and its numerous branch rivers. In those areas, not only a great variety of genotypes of HIV strains are co-circulating but also new types of viruses seem to be continuously generated with high probability by way of dual infection of two different genotypic HIV strains and recombination of their genomes as a natural consequent event.