 There is a growing demand for treatment and access to antiretroviral ARV therapy for HIV infection in resource - poor settings. Of all the HIV-1 subtypes A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J, K and multiple recombinant viruses, ARV drugs were developed by studying primarily subtype B. This HIV subtype predominates in North America, Western Europe and the rest of the industrialized world. However, worldwide, subtype B makes up a minority about 10 of the HIV infected population. In Uganda, HIV-1 subtypes A and D predominate. Although there is some evidence that the ARVs developed against subtype B virus have activity against non-subtype B virus, as the demand grows for ARVs in resource-poor settings, it is not entirely clear whether all non-B subtypes will respond robustly to the current ARVs available. Also, it is unknown if drug failure in the form of viral resistance to non-subtype B virus is due to mutations that are similar to those seen in subtype B virus. Without more data in resource-poor countries, it is still too early to tell whether different HIV-1 subtypes will require unique drug treatment or salvage strategies for those who fail initial therapy. 