“…Over the last 15 years, the molecular epidemiology of different HIV-1 subtypes and CRFs, referred to hereafter as HIV-1 clades, in Europe has significantly changed becoming more heterogeneous Hemelaar et al, 2011). The increasing complexity raises plausible questions about potential issues in diagnosis, clinical management and even in pathogenesis (Camacho, 2006;Chaix et al, 2013;Easterbrook et al, 2010;Geretti et al, 2009;Hemelaar, 2013;Paraskevis et al, 2013b;Santoro and Perno, 2013;Scherrer et al, 2011;Siemieniuk et al, 2013;Touloumi et al, 2013). Investigation of the European HIV-1 epidemic by means of molecular epidemiology provides valuable information to investigate and monitor the epidemic's dynamics over time (Frost and Pillay, 2015;Kuhnert et al, 2014;Pybus and Rambaut, 2009;Stadler and Bonhoeffer, 2013;Stadler et al, 2012).…”