Evaluation of a HIV-1 Drug Resistance Genotyping Method Based on High-Throughput Sequencing (HTS)

High-throughput sequencing (HTS) enables the detection of low-frequency HIV-1 drug resistance mutations (DRMs) that are often missed by conventional Sanger sequencing. However, the clinical implementation of HTS remains limited, and standardized evaluations of emerging platforms are still lacking. This study aims to evaluate the performance of the MGI HTS platform in detecting HIV-1 DRMs compared to Sanger sequencing. This study highlights the superior performance of the MGI high-throughput sequencing platform over traditional Sanger sequencing for HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping. The platform's enhanced sensitivity, particularly for low-frequency variants, and its simplified one-step amplification protocol make it well-suited for routine resistance testing, especially in low-viral-load samples. These findings support the broader clinical adoption of MGI HTS as a reliable and scalable tool for comprehensive resistance profiling and timely optimization of antiretroviral therapy.