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Thierry B. Studying the Tonkean macaques of Strasbourg, a tale full of sound and fury. Primates 2023; 64:559-572. [PMID: 37597117 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-023-01088-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, I chronicle the Strasbourg population of Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) over a period of half a century. In 1972, Tonkean macaques were imported from Sulawesi, Indonesia, to eastern France, leading to the establishment of two social groups in the Strasbourg region several years later. Our research team studied the social behavior and cognitive abilities of these Tonkean macaques for four decades. The species is characterized by a high degree of social tolerance. This has proven to be very informative in comparative studies of macaque social behavior, opening a new perspective on the evolution of primate societies. Over the years, the population has grown, and more social groups have been formed. However, the fact that some of the Tonkean macaques were healthy carriers of the herpes B virus led to disagreements over their management and eventually to the elimination of the positive individuals. Many individuals from the Strasbourg population are now kept in sanctuaries, and the number of captive breeding groups is limited. We still have much to learn about Tonkean macaques and there is a need for studies carried out in their native habitat in Sulawesi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard Thierry
- Laboratoire de Psychologie Sociale et Cognitive, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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2
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Genome Analysis and Replication Studies of the African Green Monkey Simian Foamy Virus Serotype 3 Strain FV2014. Viruses 2020; 12:v12040403. [PMID: 32268512 PMCID: PMC7232438 DOI: 10.3390/v12040403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
African green monkey (AGM) spumaretroviruses have been less well-studied than other simian foamy viruses (SFVs). We report the biological and genomic characterization of SFVcae_FV2014, which was the first foamy virus isolated from an African green monkey (AGM) and was found to be serotype 3. Infectivity studies in various cell lines from different species (mouse, dog, rhesus monkey, AGM, and human) indicated that like other SFVs, SFVcae_FV2014 had broad species and cell tropism, and in vitro cell culture infection resulted in cytopathic effect (CPE). In Mus dunni (a wild mouse fibroblast cell line), MDCK (Madin-Darby canine kidney cell line), FRhK-4 (a fetal rhesus kidney cell line), and MRC-5 (a human fetal lung cell line), SFVcae_FV2014 infection was productive resulting in CPE, and had delayed or similar replication kinetics compared with SFVmcy_FV21 and SFVmcy_FV34[RF], which are two Taiwanese macaque isolates, designated as serotypes 1 and 2, respectively. However, in Vero (AGM kidney cell line) and A549 (a human lung carcinoma cell line), the replication kinetics of SFVcae_FV2014 and the SFVmcy viruses were discordant: In Vero, SFVcae_FV2014 showed rapid replication kinetics and extensive CPE, and a persistent infection was seen in A549, with delayed, low CPE, which did not progress even upon extended culture (day 55). Nucleotide sequence analysis of the assembled SFVcae_FV2014 genome, obtained by high-throughput sequencing, indicated an overall 80–90% nucleotide sequence identity with SFVcae_LK3, the only available full-length genome sequence of an AGM SFV, and was distinct phylogenetically from other AGM spumaretroviruses, corroborating previous results based on analysis of partial env sequences. Our study confirmed that SFVcae_FV2014 and SFVcae_LK3 are genetically distinct AGM foamy virus (FV) isolates. Furthermore, comparative infectivity studies of SFVcae_FV2014 and SFVmcy isolates showed that although SFVs have a wide host range and cell tropism, regulation of virus replication is complex and depends on the virus strain and cell-specific factors.
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Kraberger S, Fountain-Jones NM, Gagne RB, Malmberg J, Dannemiller NG, Logan K, Alldredge M, Varsani A, Crooks KR, Craft M, Carver S, VandeWoude S. Frequent cross-species transmissions of foamy virus between domestic and wild felids. Virus Evol 2020; 6:vez058. [PMID: 31942245 PMCID: PMC6955097 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vez058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging viral outbreaks resulting from host switching is an area of continued scientific interest. Such events can result in disease epidemics or in some cases, clinically silent outcomes. These occurrences are likely relatively common and can serve as tools to better understand disease dynamics, and may result in changes in behavior, fecundity, and, ultimately survival of the host. Feline foamy virus (FFV) is a common retrovirus infecting domestic cats globally, which has also been documented in the North American puma (Puma concolor). The prevalent nature of FFV in domestic cats and its ability to infect wild felids, including puma, provides an ideal system to study cross-species transmission across trophic levels (positions in the food chain), and evolution of pathogens transmitted between individuals following direct contact. Here we present findings from an extensive molecular analysis of FFV in pumas, focused on two locations in Colorado, and in relation to FFV recovered from domestic cats in this and previous studies. Prevalence of FFV in puma was high across the two regions, ∼77 per cent (urban interface site) and ∼48 per cent (rural site). Comparison of FFV from pumas living across three states; Colorado, Florida, and California, indicates FFV is widely distributed across North America. FFV isolated from domestic cats and pumas was not distinguishable at the host level, with FFV sequences sharing >93 per cent nucleotide similarity. Phylogenetic, Bayesian, and recombination analyses of FFV across the two species supports frequent cross-species spillover from domestic cat to puma during the last century, as well as frequent puma-to-puma intraspecific transmission in Colorado, USA. Two FFV variants, distinguished by significant difference in the surface unit of the envelope protein, were commonly found in both hosts. This trait is also shared by simian foamy virus and may represent variation in cell tropism or a unique immune evasion mechanism. This study elucidates evolutionary and cross-species transmission dynamics of a highly prevalent multi-host adapted virus, a system which can further be applied to model spillover and transmission of pathogenic viruses resulting in widespread infection in the new host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Kraberger
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life sciences, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Nicholas M Fountain-Jones
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Ave, Falcon Heights, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Roderick B Gagne
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jennifer Malmberg
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Nicholas G Dannemiller
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Ken Logan
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 317 W Prospect Rd, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA
| | - Mat Alldredge
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life sciences, Arizona State University, 1001 S McAllister Ave, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Kevin R Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, 1474 Campus Delivery Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Meggan Craft
- Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, University of Minnesota, 1365 Gortner Ave, Falcon Heights, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Scott Carver
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
| | - Sue VandeWoude
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Simian Foamy Viruses in Central and South America: A New World of Discovery. Viruses 2019; 11:v11100967. [PMID: 31635161 PMCID: PMC6832937 DOI: 10.3390/v11100967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Foamy viruses (FVs) are the only exogenous retrovirus to date known to infect neotropical primates (NPs). In the last decade, an increasing number of strains have been completely or partially sequenced, and molecular evolution analyses have identified an ancient co-speciation with their hosts. In this review, the improvement of diagnostic techniques that allowed the determination of a more accurate prevalence of simian FVs (SFVs) in captive and free-living NPs is discussed. Determination of DNA viral load in American primates indicates that oral tissues are the viral replicative site and that buccal swab collection can be an alternative to diagnose SFV infection in NPs. Finally, the transmission potential of NP SFVs to primate workers in zoos and primate centers of the Americas is examined.
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Katsura Y, Asai S. Evolutionary Medicine of Retroviruses in the Human Genome. Am J Med Sci 2019; 358:384-388. [PMID: 31813465 PMCID: PMC7093845 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjms.2019.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Humans are infected with many viruses, and the immune system mostly removes viruses and the infected cells. However, certain viruses have entered the human genome. Of the human genome, ∼45% is composed of transposable elements (long interspersed nuclear elements [LINEs], short interspersed nuclear elements [SINEs] and transposons) and 5-8% is derived from viral sequences with similarity to infectious retroviruses. If integration of retrovirus occurs in a germline, the integrated viral sequences are heritable. Accumulation of viral sequences has created the current human genome. This article summarizes recent studies of retroviruses in humans and bridges clinical fields and evolutionary genetics. First, we report the repertories of human-infective retroviruses. Second, we review endogenous retroviruses in the human genome and diseases associated with endogenous retroviruses. Third, we discuss the biological functions of endogenous retroviruses and propose the concept of accelerated human evolution via viruses. Finally, we present perspectives of virology in the field of evolutionary medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukako Katsura
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Asai
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
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Kaul A, Schönmann U, Pöhlmann S. Seroprevalence of viral infections in captive rhesus and cynomolgus macaques. Primate Biol 2019; 6:1-6. [PMID: 32110713 PMCID: PMC7041514 DOI: 10.5194/pb-6-1-2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Macaques serve as important animal models for biomedical research. Viral infection of macaques can compromise animal health as well as the results of biomedical research, and infected animals constitute an occupational health risk. Therefore, monitoring macaque colonies for viral infection is an important task. We used a commercial chip-based assay to analyze sera of 231 macaques for the presence of antibody responses against nine animal and human viruses. We report high seroprevalence of cytomegalovirus (CMV), lymphocryptovirus (LCV), rhesus rhadinovirus (RRV) and simian foamy virus (SFV) antibodies in all age groups. In contrast, antibodies against simian retrovirus type D (SRV/D) and simian T cell leukemia virus (STLV) were detected only in 5 % and 10 % of animals, respectively, and were only found in adult or aged animals. Moreover, none of the animals had antibodies against herpes B virus (BV), in keeping with the results of in-house tests previously used for screening. Finally, an increased seroprevalence of measles virus antibodies in animals with extensive exposure to multiple humans for extended periods of time was observed. However, most of these animals were obtained from external sources, and a lack of information on the measles antibody status of the animals at the time of arrival precluded drawing reliable conclusions from the data. In sum, we show, that in the colony studied, CMV, LCV, RRV and SFV infection was ubiquitous and likely acquired early in life while SRV/D and STLV infection was rare and likely acquired during adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Kaul
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center – Leibniz Institute for
Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Uwe Schönmann
- Laboratory Animal Sciences Unit, German Primate Center, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center – Leibniz Institute for
Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology, University of Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
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Pinto-Santini DM, Stenbak CR, Linial ML. Foamy virus zoonotic infections. Retrovirology 2017; 14:55. [PMID: 29197389 PMCID: PMC5712078 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-017-0379-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Foamy viruses (FV) are ancient complex retroviruses that differ from orthoretroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and murine leukemia virus (MLV) and comprise a distinct subfamily of retroviruses, the Spumaretrovirinae. FV are ubiquitous in their natural hosts, which include cows, cats, and nonhuman primates (NHP). FV are transmitted mainly through saliva and appear nonpathogenic by themselves, but they may increase morbidity of other pathogens in coinfections. CONCLUSIONS This review summarizes and discusses what is known about FV infection of natural hosts. It also emphasizes what is known about FV zoonotic infections A large number of studies have revealed that the FV of NHP, simian foamy viruses (SFV), are transmitted to humans who interact with infected NHP. SFV from a variety of NHP establish persistent infection in humans, while bovine foamy virus and feline foamy virus rarely or never do. The possibility of FV recombination and mutation leading to pathogenesis is considered. Since humans can be infected by SFV, a seemingly nonpathogenic virus, there is interest in using SFV vectors for human gene therapy. In this regard, detailed understanding of zoonotic SFV infection is highly relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maxine L. Linial
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N., A3-205, Seattle, WA 98109 USA
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Muniz CP, Jia H, Shankar A, Troncoso LL, Augusto AM, Farias E, Pissinatti A, Fedullo LP, Santos AF, Soares MA, Switzer WM. An expanded search for simian foamy viruses (SFV) in Brazilian New World primates identifies novel SFV lineages and host age-related infections. Retrovirology 2015; 12:94. [PMID: 26576961 PMCID: PMC4650395 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-015-0217-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2015] [Accepted: 10/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background While simian foamy viruses have co-evolved with their primate hosts for millennia, most scientific studies have focused on understanding infection in Old World primates with little knowledge available on the epidemiology and natural history of SFV infection in New World primates (NWPs). To better understand the geographic and species distribution and evolutionary history of SFV in NWPs we extend our previous studies in Brazil by screening 15 genera consisting of 29 NWP species (140 monkeys total), including five genera (Brachyteles, Cacajao, Callimico, Mico, and Pithecia) not previously analyzed. Monkey blood specimens were tested using a combination of both serology and PCR to more accurately estimate prevalence and investigate transmission patterns. Sequences were phylogenetically analyzed to infer SFV and host evolutionary histories. Results The overall serologic and molecular prevalences were 42.8 and 33.6 %, respectively, with a combined assay prevalence of 55.8 %. Discordant serology and PCR results were observed for 28.5 % of the samples, indicating that both methods are currently necessary for estimating NWP SFV prevalence. SFV prevalence in sexually mature NWPs with a positive result in any of the WB or PCR assays was 51/107 (47.7 %) compared to 20/33 (61 %) for immature animals. Epidemiological analyses revealed an increase in SFV prevalence with age in captive Cebus monkeys. Phylogenetic analysis identified novel SFVs in Cacajao,Leontopithecus, and Chiropotes species that had 6–37 % nucleotide divergence to other NWP SFV. Comparison of host and SFV phylogenies showed an overall cospeciation evolutionary history with rare ancient and contemporaneous host-switching for Saimiri and Leontopithecus and Cebus xanthosternos, respectively. Conclusions We identified novel SFV in four neotropical monkey genera in Brazil and demonstrate that SFV prevalence increases with age in Cebus monkeys. Importantly, our test results suggest that both molecular and serological screening are currently required to accurately determine infection with NWP SFV. Our study significantly expands knowledge of the epidemiology and natural history of NWP SFVs. The tools and information provided in our study will facilitate further investigation of SFV in NWPs and the potential for zoonotic infection with these viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia P Muniz
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .,Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., MS G45, Atlanta, 30329, USA.
| | - Hongwei Jia
- Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., MS G45, Atlanta, 30329, USA.
| | - Anupama Shankar
- Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., MS G45, Atlanta, 30329, USA.
| | - Lian L Troncoso
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | | | - Elisabete Farias
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | | | | | - André F Santos
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo A Soares
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .,Programa de Genética, Instituto Nacional de Câncer, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - William M Switzer
- Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., MS G45, Atlanta, 30329, USA.
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Ghersi BM, Jia H, Aiewsakun P, Katzourakis A, Mendoza P, Bausch DG, Kasper MR, Montgomery JM, Switzer WM. Wide distribution and ancient evolutionary history of simian foamy viruses in New World primates. Retrovirology 2015; 12:89. [PMID: 26514626 PMCID: PMC4627628 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-015-0214-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although simian foamy viruses (SFV) are the only exogenous retroviruses to infect New World monkeys (NWMs), little is known about their evolutionary history and epidemiology. Previous reports show distinct SFVs among NWMs but were limited to small numbers of captive or wild monkeys from five (Cebus, Saimiri, Ateles, Alouatta, and Callithrix) of the 15 NWM genera. Other studies also used only PCR testing or serological assays with limited validation and may have missed infection in some species. We developed and validated new serological and PCR assays to determine the prevalence of SFV in blood specimens from a large number of captive NWMs in the US (n = 274) and in captive and wild-caught NWMs (n = 236) in Peruvian zoos, rescue centers, and illegal trade markets. Phylogenetic and co-speciation reconciliation analyses of new SFV polymerase (pol) and host mitochondrial cytochrome B sequences, were performed to infer SFV and host co-evolutionary histories. RESULTS 124/274 (45.2 %) of NWMs captive in the US and 59/157 (37.5 %) of captive and wild-caught NWMs in Peru were SFV WB-positive representing 11 different genera (Alouatta, Aotus, Ateles, Cacajao, Callithrix, Cebus, Lagothrix, Leontopithecus, Pithecia, Saguinus and Saimiri). Seroprevalences were lower at rescue centers (10/53, 18.9 %) compared to zoos (46/97, 47.4 %) and illegal trade markets (3/7, 8/19, 42.9 %) in Peru. Analyses showed that the trees of NWM hosts and SFVs have remarkably similar topologies at the level of species and sub-populations suggestive of co-speciation. Phylogenetic reconciliation confirmed 12 co-speciation events (p < 0.002) which was further supported by obtaining highly similar divergence dates for SFV and host genera and correlated SFV-host branch times. However, four ancient cross-genus transmission events were also inferred for Pitheciinae to Atelidae, Cacajao to ancestral Callithrix or Cebus monkeys, between Callithrix and Cebus monkeys, and Lagothrix to Alouatta. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate a broad distribution and stable co-speciation history of SFV in NWMs at the species level. Additional studies are necessary to further explore the epidemiology and natural history of SFV infection of NWMs and to determine the zoonotic potential for persons exposed to infected monkeys in captivity and in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hongwei Jia
- Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., MS G-45, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
| | - Pakorn Aiewsakun
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK.
| | - Aris Katzourakis
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK.
| | | | - Daniel G Bausch
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru. .,Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Hygiene, New Orleans, LA, USA.
| | | | - Joel M Montgomery
- U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 6, Lima, Peru. .,Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30333, USA.
| | - William M Switzer
- Laboratory Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., MS G-45, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
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Gessain A. [Mechanisms of viral emergence and interspecies transmission: the exemple of simian foamy viruses in Central Africa]. BULLETIN DE L'ACADEMIE NATIONALE DE MEDECINE 2013; 197. [PMID: 26137812 PMCID: PMC7111110 DOI: 10.1016/s0001-4079(19)31387-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A large proportion of viral pathogens that have emerged during the last decades in humans are considered to have originated from various animal species. This is well exemplified by several recent epidemics such as those of Nipah, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, Avian flu, Ebola, Monkeypox, and Hantaviruses. After the initial interspecies transmission per se, the viruses can disseminate into the human population through various and distinct mechanisms. Some of them are well characterized and understood, thus allowing a certain level of risk control and prevention. Surprisingly and in contrast, the initial steps that lead to the emergence of several viruses, and of their associated diseases, remain still poorly understood. Epidemiological field studies conducted in certain specific high-risk populations are thus necessary to obtain new insights into the early events of this emergence process. Human infections by simian viruses represent increasing public health concerns. Indeed, by virtue of their genetic andphysiological similarities, non-human primates (NHPs) are considered to be likely the sources of viruses that can infect humans and thus may pose a significant threat to human population. This is well illustrated by retroviruses, which have the ability to cross species, adapt to a new host and sometimes spread within these new species. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic studies have thus clearly showed that the emergence of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and HIV-2 in humans have resulted from several independent interspecies transmissions of different SIV types from Chimpanzees and African monkeys (including sooty mangabeys), respectively, probably during the first part of the last century. The situation for Human T cell Lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is, for certain aspects, quite comparable. Indeed, the origin of most HTLV-1 subtypes appears to be linked to interspecies transmission between STLV-1-infected monkeys and humans, followed by variable periods of evolution in the human host. In this review, after an introduction on emerging viruses, we will briefly present the results of a large epidemiological study performed in groups of Bantus and Pygmies living in villages and settlements located in the rain forest of the South region of Cameroon. These populations are living nearby the habitats of several monkeys and apes, often naturally infected by different retroviruses including SIV, STLV and simianfoamy virus. Most of the persons included in this study were hunters of such NHPs, thus at high risk of contact with infected body fluids (blood, saliva,...) during hunting activities. After reviewing the current available data on the discovery, cross-species transmission from monkeys and apes to humans of the simian foamy retroviruses, we will report the results of our study. Such infection is a unique natural model to study the different mechanisms of restriction of retroviral emergence in Humans.
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Hood S, Mitchell JL, Sethi M, Almond NM, Cutler KL, Rose NJ. Horizontal acquisition and a broad biodistribution typify simian foamy virus infection in a cohort of Macaca fascicularis. Virol J 2013; 10:326. [PMID: 24180225 PMCID: PMC4228416 DOI: 10.1186/1743-422x-10-326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Foamy viruses are non-pathogenic in vivo and naturally infect all species of non-human primates (NHP). Simian foamy viruses (SFV) are highly prevalent in both free ranging and captive NHP but few longitudinal studies have been performed to assess the prevalence and biodistribution of SFV within captive NHP. METHOD LTR and pol gene along with Gag antibody detection were undertaken to identify infection in a cohort of over 80 captive macaques. RESULTS The prevalence of SFV was between 64% and 94% in different groups. Access to 23 dam-infant pairs allowed us to reveal horizontal transfer as the dominant route of SFV transmission in our cohort. Further, analysis of SFV from a range of tissues and blood revealed that macaques as young as six months old can be infected and that proviral biodistribution increases with age. CONCLUSIONS These are the first data of this type for a captive cohort of cynomolgus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Nicola J Rose
- Division of Virology, National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, Blanche Lane, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Hertfordshire EN6 3QG, UK.
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Simian foamy virus infection of rhesus macaques in Bangladesh: relationship of latent proviruses and transcriptionally active viruses. J Virol 2013; 87:13628-39. [PMID: 24109214 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01989-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Simian foamy viruses (SFV) are complex retroviruses that are ubiquitous in nonhuman primates (NHP) and are zoonotically transmitted to humans, presumably through NHP saliva, by licking, biting, and other behaviors. We have studied SFV in free-ranging rhesus macaques in Bangladesh. It has been previously shown that SFV in immunocompetent animals replicates to detectable levels only in superficial epithelial cells of the oral mucosa, although latent proviruses are found in most, if not all, tissues. In this study, we compare DNA sequences from latent SFV proviruses found in blood cells of 30 Bangladesh rhesus macaques to RNA sequences of transcriptionally active SFV from buccal swabs obtained from the same animals. Viral strains, defined by differences in SFV gag sequences, from buccal mucosal specimens overlapped with those from blood samples in 90% of animals. Thus, latent proviruses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are, to a great extent, representative of viruses likely to be transmitted to other hosts. The level of SFV RNA in buccal swabs varied greatly between macaques, with increasing amounts of viral RNA in older animals. Evidence of APOBEC3-induced mutations was found in gag sequences derived from the blood and oral mucosa.
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Rua R, Betsem E, Gessain A. Viral latency in blood and saliva of simian foamy virus-infected humans. PLoS One 2013; 8:e77072. [PMID: 24116202 PMCID: PMC3792900 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0077072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2013] [Accepted: 09/06/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Simian foamy viruses (SFV) are widespread retroviruses among non-human primates (NHP). SFV actively replicate in the oral cavity and can be transmitted to humans through NHP bites, giving rise to a persistent infection. We aimed at studying the natural history of SFV infection in human. We have analyzed viral load and gene expression in 14 hunters from Cameroon previously shown to be infected with a gorilla SFV strain. Viral DNA could be detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) targeting the pol-in region, in most samples of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (7.1 ± 6.0 SFV DNA copies/105 PBMCs) and saliva (2.4 ± 4.3 SFV DNA copies/105 cells) derived from the hunters. However, quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT)-qPCR revealed the absence of SFV viral gene expression in both PBMCs and saliva, suggesting that SFV was latent in the human samples. Our study demonstrates that a latent infection can occur in humans and persist for years, both in PBMCs and saliva. Such a scenario may contribute to the putative lack of secondary human-to-human transmissions of SFV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rejane Rua
- Department of Virology, Unit of Epidemiology and Physiopathology of Oncogenic Viruses, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Paris Diderot University, Cellule Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Edouard Betsem
- Department of Virology, Unit of Epidemiology and Physiopathology of Oncogenic Viruses, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Department of Microbiology, Parasitology, Hematology, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroun
| | - Antoine Gessain
- Department of Virology, Unit of Epidemiology and Physiopathology of Oncogenic Viruses, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
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Kehl T, Tan J, Materniak M. Non-simian foamy viruses: molecular virology, tropism and prevalence and zoonotic/interspecies transmission. Viruses 2013; 5:2169-209. [PMID: 24064793 PMCID: PMC3798896 DOI: 10.3390/v5092169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Revised: 09/04/2013] [Accepted: 09/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Within the field of retrovirus, our knowledge of foamy viruses (FV) is still limited. Their unique replication strategy and mechanism of viral persistency needs further research to gain understanding of the virus-host interactions, especially in the light of the recent findings suggesting their ancient origin and long co-evolution with their nonhuman hosts. Unquestionably, the most studied member is the primate/prototype foamy virus (PFV) which was originally isolated from a human (designated as human foamy virus, HFV), but later identified as chimpanzee origin; phylogenetic analysis clearly places it among other Old World primates. Additionally, the study of non-simian animal FVs can contribute to a deeper understanding of FV-host interactions and development of other animal models. The review aims at highlighting areas of special interest regarding the structure, biology, virus-host interactions and interspecies transmission potential of primate as well as non-primate foamy viruses for gaining new insights into FV biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Kehl
- German Cancer Research Center, INF242, Heidelberg 69120, Germany
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +49-6221-42-4935; Fax: +49-6221-42-4932
| | - Juan Tan
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, 94 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300071, China; E-Mail:
| | - Magdalena Materniak
- Department of Biochemistry, National Veterinary Research Institute, Partyzantow Ave. 57, Pulawy 24-100, Poland; E-Mail:
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Mouinga-Ondémé A, Kazanji M. Simian foamy virus in non-human primates and cross-species transmission to humans in Gabon: an emerging zoonotic disease in central Africa? Viruses 2013; 5:1536-52. [PMID: 23783811 PMCID: PMC3717720 DOI: 10.3390/v5061536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2013] [Revised: 06/09/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now known that all human retroviruses have a non-human primate counterpart. It has been reported that the presence of these retroviruses in humans is the result of interspecies transmission. Several authors have described the passage of a simian retrovirus, simian foamy virus (SFV), from primates to humans. To better understand this retroviral “zoonosis” in natural settings, we evaluated the presence of SFV in both captive and wild non-human primates and in humans at high risk, such as hunters and people bitten by a non-human primate, in Gabon, central Africa. A high prevalence of SFV was found in blood samples from non-human primates and in bush meat collected across the country. Mandrills were found to be highly infected with two distinct strains of SFV, depending on their geographical location. Furthermore, samples collected from hunters and non-human primate laboratory workers showed clear, extensive cross-species transmission of SFV. People who had been bitten by mandrills, gorillas and chimpanzees had persistent SFV infection with low genetic drift. Thus, SFV is presumed to be transmitted from non-human primates mainly through severe bites, involving contact between infected saliva and blood. In this review, we summarize and discuss our five-year observations on the prevalence and dissemination of SFV in humans and non-human primates in Gabon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustin Mouinga-Ondémé
- Unité de Rétrovirologie, Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon; E-Mail:
| | - Mirdad Kazanji
- Unité de Rétrovirologie, Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville BP 769, Gabon; E-Mail:
- Institut Pasteur de Bangui, Bangui BP 923, Central African Republic
- Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: ; Tel.: +236-21-61-0866; Fax: +236-21-61-0109
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Ayouba A, Duval L, Liégeois F, Ngin S, Ahuka-Mundeke S, Switzer WM, Delaporte E, Ariey F, Peeters M, Nerrienet E. Nonhuman primate retroviruses from Cambodia: high simian foamy virus prevalence, identification of divergent STLV-1 strains and no evidence of SIV infection. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2013; 18:325-34. [PMID: 23612320 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2013.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2013] [Revised: 04/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Nonhuman primates (NHPs) carry retroviruses such as simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV), simian T-cell lymphotropic viruses (STLV) and simian foamy viruses (SFV). Here, we revisited NHPs from Cambodia to assess the prevalence and diversity of these retroviruses using updated viral detection tools. We screened blood from 118 NHPs consisting of six species (Macaca fascicularis (n=91), Macaca leonine (n=8), Presbytis cristata (n=3), Nycticebus coucang (n=1), Hylobates pileatus (n=14), and Pongo pygmaeus) (n=1) by using a Luminex-based multiplex serology assay that allows the detection of all known SIV/HIV and SFV lineages. We also used highly sensitive PCR assays to detect each simian retrovirus group. Positive PCR products were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed to infer evolutionary histories. Fifty-three of 118 (44.9%) NHPs tested positive for SFV by serology and 8/52 (15.4%), all from M. fascicularis, were PCR-confirmed. The 8 novel SFV sequences formed a highly supported distinct lineage within a clade composed of other macaque SFV. We observed no serological or molecular evidence of SIV infection among the 118 NHP samples tested. Four of 118 (3.3%) NHPs were PCR-positive for STLV, including one M. fascicularis, one P. cristata, and two H. pileatus. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the four novel STLV belonged to the PTLV-1 lineage, outside the African radiation of PTLV-1, like all Asian PTLV identified so far. Sequence analysis of the whole STLV-1 genome from a H. pileatus (C578_Hp) revealed a genetic structure characteristic of PTLV. Similarity analysis comparing the STLV-1 (C578_Hp) sequence with prototype PTLVs showed that C578_Hp is closer to PTLV-1s than to all other types across the entire genome. In conclusion, we showed a high frequency of SFV infection but found no evidence of SIV infection in NHPs from Cambodia. We identified for the first time STLV-1 in a P. cristata and in two H. pileatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahidjo Ayouba
- UM1 233, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement-IRD and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France.
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Mother-offspring transmission and age-dependent accumulation of simian foamy virus in wild chimpanzees. J Virol 2013; 87:5193-204. [PMID: 23449796 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02743-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simian foamy viruses (SFVs) are thought to infect virtually any adult nonhuman primate (NHP). While many data have accumulated about patterns of codivergence with their hosts and cross-species transmission events, little is known about the modalities of SFV transmission within NHP species, especially in the wild. Here we provide a detailed investigation of the dynamics of SFV circulation in a wild community of Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus). We demonstrate that mother-offspring (vertical) SFV transmission is common and hypothesize that it accounts for a number of primary infections. We also show that multiple infections with several chimpanzee-specific SFV strains (i.e., superinfection) commonly happen in adult chimpanzees, which might point to adult-specific aggressive behaviors as a lifelong source of SFV infection. Our data give evidence for complex SFV dynamics in wild chimpanzees, even at a single community scale, and show that linking wild NHP social interactions and their microorganisms' dynamics is feasible.
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Gessain A, Rua R, Betsem E, Turpin J, Mahieux R. HTLV-3/4 and simian foamy retroviruses in humans: discovery, epidemiology, cross-species transmission and molecular virology. Virology 2013; 435:187-99. [PMID: 23217627 PMCID: PMC7111966 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2012.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2012] [Accepted: 09/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Non-human primates are considered to be likely sources of viruses that can infect humans and thus pose a significant threat to human population. This is well illustrated by some retroviruses, as the simian immunodeficiency viruses and the simian T lymphotropic viruses, which have the ability to cross-species, adapt to a new host and sometimes spread. This leads to a pandemic situation for HIV-1 or an endemic one for HTLV-1. Here, we present the available data on the discovery, epidemiology, cross-species transmission and molecular virology of the recently discovered HTLV-3 and HTLV-4 deltaretroviruses, as well as the simian foamy retroviruses present in different human populations at risk, especially in central African hunters. We discuss also the natural history in humans of these retroviruses of zoonotic origin (magnitude and geographical distribution, possible inter-human transmission). In Central Africa, the increase of the bushmeat trade during the last decades has opened new possibilities for retroviral emergence in humans, especially in immuno-compromised persons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Gessain
- Institut Pasteur, Unité d'Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, France, Département de Virologie, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris, Cedex 15, France.
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Huang F, Wang H, Jing S, Zeng W. Simian foamy virus prevalence in Macaca mulatta and zookeepers. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2012; 28:591-3. [PMID: 22236106 DOI: 10.1089/aid.2011.0305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The simian foamy virus (SFV) has been reported to be transmissible among humans occupationally exposed to nonhuman primates. Nevertheless, epidemiological and genotypic data on the SFV in Macaca mulatta and zookeepers in China are limited. In the present study, SFV proviral DNA was detected in 74 blood samples from M. mulatta and 12 saliva specimens from zookeepers by nested polymerase chain reaction. A total of 29 blood samples from M. mulatta (29/74, 39.19%) and two saliva specimens from zookeepers (2/12, 16.67%) were positive. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that these SFV strains shared the highest homology with Macaca fascicularis (93.4%). The two SFV strains infected human beings, and shared the highest homology of 98.6% with each other as well as 90.8-99.5% with M. mulatta. The investigation revealed the high prevalence of the SFV in M. mulatta in China and its zoonotic transmission to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Huang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Huixuan Wang
- Kunming General Hospital of Chengdu Military Region, Kunming, China
| | - Shenrong Jing
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
| | - Weikun Zeng
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China
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Cross-species transmission of simian retroviruses: how and why they could lead to the emergence of new diseases in the human population. AIDS 2012; 26:659-73. [PMID: 22441170 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0b013e328350fb68] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The HIV-1 group M epidemic illustrates the extraordinary impact and consequences resulting from a single zoonotic transmission. Exposure to blood or other secretions of infected animals, through hunting and butchering of bushmeat, or through bites and scratches inflicted by pet nonhuman primates (NHPs), represent the most plausible source for human infection with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), simian T-cell lymphotropic virus (STLV) and simian foamy virus. The chance for cross-species transmissions could increase when frequency of exposure and retrovirus prevalence is high. According to the most recent data, human exposure to SIV or STLV appears heterogeneous across the African countries surveyed. Exposure is not sufficient to trigger disease: viral and host molecular characteristics and compatibility are fundamental factors to establish infection. A successful species jump is achieved when the pathogen becomes transmissible between individuals within the new host population. To spread efficiently, HIV likely required changes in human behavior. Given the increasing exposure to NHP pathogens through hunting and butchering, it is likely that SIV and other simian viruses are still transmitted to the human population. The behavioral and socio-economic context of the twenty-first century provides favorable conditions for the emergence and spread of new epidemics. Therefore, it is important to evaluate which retroviruses the human population is exposed to and to better understand how these viruses enter, infect, adapt and spread to its new host.
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Cross-species transmission of simian foamy virus to humans in rural Gabon, Central Africa. J Virol 2011; 86:1255-60. [PMID: 22072747 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.06016-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to characterize simian foamy retroviruses (SFVs) in wild-born nonhuman primates (NHPs) in Gabon and to investigate cross-species transmission to humans, we obtained 497 NHP samples, composed of 286 blood and 211 tissue (bush meat) samples. Anti-SFV antibodies were found in 31 of 286 plasma samples (10.5%). The integrase gene sequence was found in 38/497 samples, including both blood and tissue samples, with novel SFVs in several Cercopithecus species. Of the 78 humans, mostly hunters, who had been bitten or scratched by NHPs, 19 were SFV seropositive, with 15 cases confirmed by PCR. All but one were infected with ape SFV. We thus found novel SFV strains in NHPs in Gabon and high cross-species transmission of SFVs from gorilla bites.
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Betsem E, Rua R, Tortevoye P, Froment A, Gessain A. Frequent and recent human acquisition of simian foamy viruses through apes' bites in central Africa. PLoS Pathog 2011; 7:e1002306. [PMID: 22046126 PMCID: PMC3203161 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1002306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2011] [Accepted: 08/24/2011] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Human infection by simian foamy viruses (SFV) can be acquired by persons occupationally exposed to non-human primates (NHP) or in natural settings. This study aimed at getting better knowledge on SFV transmission dynamics, risk factors for such a zoonotic infection and, searching for intra-familial dissemination and the level of peripheral blood (pro)viral loads in infected individuals. We studied 1,321 people from the general adult population (mean age 49 yrs, 640 women and 681 men) and 198 individuals, mostly men, all of whom had encountered a NHP with a resulting bite or scratch. All of these, either Pygmies (436) or Bantus (1085) live in villages in South Cameroon. A specific SFV Western blot was used and two nested PCRs (polymerase, and LTR) were done on all the positive/borderline samples by serology. In the general population, 2/1,321 (0.2%) persons were found to be infected. In the second group, 37/198 (18.6%) persons were SFV positive. They were mostly infected by apes (37/39) FV (mainly gorilla). Infection by monkey FV was less frequent (2/39). The viral origin of the amplified sequences matched with the history reported by the hunters, most of which (83%) are aged 20 to 40 years and acquired the infection during the last twenty years. The (pro)viral load in 33 individuals infected by a gorilla FV was quite low (<1 to 145 copies per 105 cells) in the peripheral blood leucocytes. Of the 30 wives and 12 children from families of FV infected persons, only one woman was seropositive in WB without subsequent viral DNA amplification. We demonstrate a high level of recent transmission of SFVs to humans in natural settings specifically following severe gorilla bites during hunting activities. The virus was found to persist over several years, with low SFV loads in infected persons. Secondary transmission remains an open question. Most of the viral pathogens that have emerged in humans during the last decades have a zoonotic origin. After the initial interspecies transmission, these viruses have followed different evolutionary routes and have spread among humans through distinct mechanisms. The understanding of the initial steps of the emergence of several viruses and associated diseases often remains quite poor. Human infection by simian foamy viruses (SFV) can be acquired by persons occupationally exposed to non-human primates (NHP) or in natural settings. Epidemiological and microbiological studies in specific high-risk populations are necessary to gain new insights into the early events of the emergence process, and the potential to spread or cause disease among humans. The present study found that hunting is still a very common and risky activity for SFV infection in forest areas of South Cameroon. Indeed, recent interspecies transmission of SFVs to young adults is still very frequent, as 1 person out of 5 among the hunters who have reported a bite or scratch by a non-human primate and 2 persons out of a thousand in the general population are persistently infected by a SFV, mostly from an ape. Secondary transmission to other family members and presence of a disease in infected persons are still open questions that are being investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edouard Betsem
- Unit of Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Oncogenic Viruses, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), URA 3015, Paris, France
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroun
- * E-mail: (AG); (EB)
| | - Réjane Rua
- Unit of Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Oncogenic Viruses, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), URA 3015, Paris, France
| | - Patricia Tortevoye
- Unit of Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Oncogenic Viruses, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), URA 3015, Paris, France
| | - Alain Froment
- Institute of Research for Development, Musée de l'Homme, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Gessain
- Unit of Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Oncogenic Viruses, Department of Virology, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), URA 3015, Paris, France
- * E-mail: (AG); (EB)
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van der Kuyl AC, Cornelissen M, Berkhout B. Of Mice and Men: On the Origin of XMRV. Front Microbiol 2011; 1:147. [PMID: 21687768 PMCID: PMC3109487 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2010.00147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2010] [Accepted: 12/26/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel human retrovirus xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) is arguably the most controversial virus of this moment. After its original discovery in prostate cancer tissue from North American patients, it was subsequently detected in individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome from the same continent. However, most other research groups, mainly from Europe, reported negative results. The positive results could possibly be attributed to contamination with mouse products in a number of cases, as XMRV is nearly identical in nucleotide sequence to endogenous retroviruses in the mouse genome. But the detection of integrated XMRV proviruses in prostate cancer tissue proves it to be a genuine virus that replicates in human cells, leaving the question: how did XMRV enter the human population? We will discuss two possible routes: either via direct virus transmission from mouse to human, as repeatedly seen for, e.g., Hantaviruses, or via the use of mouse-related products by humans, including vaccines. We hypothesize that mouse cells or human cell lines used for vaccine production could have been contaminated with a replicating variant of the XMRV precursors encoded by the mouse genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoinette Cornelia van der Kuyl
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Center for Infection and Immunity Amsterdam, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Mouinga-Ondémé A, Betsem E, Caron M, Makuwa M, Sallé B, Renault N, Saib A, Telfer P, Marx P, Gessain A, Kazanji M. Two distinct variants of simian foamy virus in naturally infected mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) and cross-species transmission to humans. Retrovirology 2010; 7:105. [PMID: 21156043 PMCID: PMC3009703 DOI: 10.1186/1742-4690-7-105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2010] [Accepted: 12/14/2010] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Each of the pathogenic human retroviruses (HIV-1/2 and HTLV-1) has a nonhuman primate counterpart, and the presence of these retroviruses in humans results from interspecies transmission. The passage of another simian retrovirus, simian foamy virus (SFV), from apes or monkeys to humans has been reported. Mandrillus sphinx, a monkey species living in central Africa, is naturally infected with SFV. We evaluated the natural history of the virus in a free-ranging colony of mandrills and investigated possible transmission of mandrill SFV to humans. Results We studied 84 semi-free-ranging captive mandrills at the Primate Centre of the Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (Gabon) and 15 wild mandrills caught in various areas of the country. The presence of SFV was also evaluated in 20 people who worked closely with mandrills and other nonhuman primates. SFV infection was determined by specific serological (Western blot) and molecular (nested PCR of the integrase region in the polymerase gene) assays. Seropositivity for SFV was found in 70/84 (83%) captive and 9/15 (60%) wild-caught mandrills and in 2/20 (10%) humans. The 425-bp SFV integrase fragment was detected in peripheral blood DNA from 53 captive and 8 wild-caught mandrills and in two personnel. Sequence and phylogenetic studies demonstrated the presence of two distinct strains of mandrill SFV, one clade including SFVs from mandrills living in the northern part of Gabon and the second consisting of SFV from animals living in the south. One man who had been bitten 10 years earlier by a mandrill and another bitten 22 years earlier by a macaque were found to be SFV infected, both at the Primate Centre. The second man had a sequence close to SFVmac sequences. Comparative sequence analysis of the virus from the first man and from the mandrill showed nearly identical sequences, indicating genetic stability of SFV over time. Conclusion Our results show a high prevalence of SFV infection in a semi-free-ranging colony of mandrills, with the presence of two different strains. We also showed transmission of SFV from a mandrill and a macaque to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustin Mouinga-Ondémé
- Unité de Rétrovirologie, Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Franceville, Gabon
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Multiple retroviral infection by HTLV type 1, 2, 3 and simian foamy virus in a family of Pygmies from Cameroon. Virology 2010; 410:48-55. [PMID: 21087785 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2010.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2010] [Revised: 08/12/2010] [Accepted: 10/15/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
To better understand the origins and modes of transmission of HTLV-3 and to search for other retroviral infections (HTLV-1, HTLV-2, foamy viruses), we studied the family of a HTLV-3-infected individual (Pyl43), from Cameroon. Thirty-five persons were included. All adult men were still actively hunting nonhuman primates (NHP). All women were also butchering and cutting-up animals. Five persons reported a bite by an NHP. While HTLV-3 infection was only found in Pyl43, HTLV-1 and HTLV-2 infections were found, respectively, in 5 and 9 persons with one being co-infected by both retroviruses. Phylogenetic analysis suggested intra-familial transmission of HTLV-1 subtypes B and D and HTLV-2. One man was infected by a chimpanzee foamy virus, acquired probably 45 years ago, through a bite. Acquisition of retroviral infections still occurs in central Africa involving to various extent not only intra-familial transmission for HTLV-1/HTLV-2 but also direct interspecies transmission from NHP for foamy virus and possibly for HTLV-1 and HTLV-3.
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Khan AS. Simian foamy virus infection in humans: prevalence and management. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2009; 7:569-80. [PMID: 19485797 DOI: 10.1586/eri.09.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Simian foamy viruses (SFVs) are highly prevalent in all nonhuman primate species and can infect humans following occupational and non-occupational exposure to infected animals and their tissues, blood or body fluids. Virus transmission results in a stable, persistent infection that seems to be latent. SFV infections are thus far nonpathogenic, with no evidence of adverse clinical outcome in their natural nonhuman primate hosts or by experimental injection in animals and upon cross-species transmission in humans. Since the emergence of pathogenic viruses from nonpathogenic viruses upon cross-species infection is well-documented for several retroviruses, it is prudent to take necessary precautions to deter SFV infections in humans. These steps will help prevent the emergence of a novel pathogen and reduce the risk of transmission of another potential pathogenic human retrovirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arifa S Khan
- Laboratory of Retrovirus Research, Division of Viral Products, Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research, US Food & Drug Administration, 8800 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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Jones-Engel L, May CC, Engel GA, Steinkraus KA, Schillaci MA, Fuentes A, Rompis A, Chalise MK, Aggimarangsee N, Feeroz MM, Grant R, Allan JS, Putra A, Wandia IN, Watanabe R, Kuller L, Thongsawat S, Chaiwarith R, Kyes RC, Linial ML. Diverse contexts of zoonotic transmission of simian foamy viruses in Asia. Emerg Infect Dis 2008; 14:1200-8. [PMID: 18680642 PMCID: PMC2562341 DOI: 10.3201/eid1408.071430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
These infections are likely prevalent among persons who live or work near nonhuman primates. In Asia, contact between persons and nonhuman primates is widespread in multiple occupational and nonoccupational contexts. Simian foamy viruses (SFVs) are retroviruses that are prevalent in all species of nonhuman primates. To determine SFV prevalence in humans, we tested 305 persons who lived or worked around nonhuman primates in several South and Southeast Asian countries; 8 (2.6%) were confirmed SFV positive by Western blot and, for some, by PCR. The interspecies interactions that likely resulted in virus transmission were diverse; 5 macaque taxa were implicated as a potential source of infection. Phylogenetic analysis showed that SFV from 3 infected persons was similar to that from the nonhuman primate populations with which the infected persons reported contact. Thus, SFV infections are likely to be prevalent among persons who live or work near nonhuman primates in Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Jones-Engel
- Division of International Programs, National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.
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Liu W, Worobey M, Li Y, Keele BF, Bibollet-Ruche F, Guo Y, Goepfert PA, Santiago ML, Ndjango JBN, Neel C, Clifford SL, Sanz C, Kamenya S, Wilson ML, Pusey AE, Gross-Camp N, Boesch C, Smith V, Zamma K, Huffman MA, Mitani JC, Watts DP, Peeters M, Shaw GM, Switzer WM, Sharp PM, Hahn BH. Molecular ecology and natural history of simian foamy virus infection in wild-living chimpanzees. PLoS Pathog 2008; 4:e1000097. [PMID: 18604273 PMCID: PMC2435277 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1000097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2008] [Accepted: 06/05/2008] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying microbial pathogens with zoonotic potential in wild-living primates can be important to human health, as evidenced by human immunodeficiency viruses types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2) and Ebola virus. Simian foamy viruses (SFVs) are ancient retroviruses that infect Old and New World monkeys and apes. Although not known to cause disease, these viruses are of public health interest because they have the potential to infect humans and thus provide a more general indication of zoonotic exposure risks. Surprisingly, no information exists concerning the prevalence, geographic distribution, and genetic diversity of SFVs in wild-living monkeys and apes. Here, we report the first comprehensive survey of SFVcpz infection in free-ranging chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) using newly developed, fecal-based assays. Chimpanzee fecal samples (n = 724) were collected at 25 field sites throughout equatorial Africa and tested for SFVcpz-specific antibodies (n = 706) or viral nucleic acids (n = 392). SFVcpz infection was documented at all field sites, with prevalence rates ranging from 44% to 100%. In two habituated communities, adult chimpanzees had significantly higher SFVcpz infection rates than infants and juveniles, indicating predominantly horizontal rather than vertical transmission routes. Some chimpanzees were co-infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVcpz); however, there was no evidence that SFVcpz and SIVcpz were epidemiologically linked. SFVcpz nucleic acids were recovered from 177 fecal samples, all of which contained SFVcpz RNA and not DNA. Phylogenetic analysis of partial gag (616 bp), pol-RT (717 bp), and pol-IN (425 bp) sequences identified a diverse group of viruses, which could be subdivided into four distinct SFVcpz lineages according to their chimpanzee subspecies of origin. Within these lineages, there was evidence of frequent superinfection and viral recombination. One chimpanzee was infected by a foamy virus from a Cercopithecus monkey species, indicating cross-species transmission of SFVs in the wild. These data indicate that SFVcpz (i) is widely distributed among all chimpanzee subspecies; (ii) is shed in fecal samples as viral RNA; (iii) is transmitted predominantly by horizontal routes; (iv) is prone to superinfection and recombination; (v) has co-evolved with its natural host; and (vi) represents a sensitive marker of population structure that may be useful for chimpanzee taxonomy and conservation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weimin Liu
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Michael Worobey
- University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Yingying Li
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Brandon F. Keele
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Frederic Bibollet-Ruche
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Yuanyuan Guo
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Paul A. Goepfert
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Mario L. Santiago
- Gladstone Institute for Virology and Immunology, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | | | - Cecile Neel
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France
- Projet Prevention du Sida ou Cameroun (PRESICA), Yaoundé, Cameroun
| | - Stephen L. Clifford
- Centre International de Recherches Medicales de Franceville (CIRMF), Franceville, Gabon
| | - Crickette Sanz
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Shadrack Kamenya
- Gombe Stream Research Centre, The Jane Goodall Institute, Tanzania
| | - Michael L. Wilson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Anne E. Pusey
- Jane Goodall Institute's Center for Primate Studies, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Nicole Gross-Camp
- Antioch New England Graduate School, Keene, New Hampshire, United States of America
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Koichiro Zamma
- Great Ape Research Institute, Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories, Okayama, Japan
| | - Michael A. Huffman
- Section of Ecology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Aichi, Japan
| | - John C. Mitani
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - David P. Watts
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Martine Peeters
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France
| | - George M. Shaw
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
| | - William M. Switzer
- Laboratory Branch, National Center for HIV/AIDS, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Paul M. Sharp
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Beatrice H. Hahn
- Departments of Medicine and Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
Simian foamy viruses (SFV) are ancient retroviruses of primates and have coevolved with their host species for as many as 30 million years. Although humans are not naturally infected with foamy virus, infection is occasionally acquired through interspecies transmission from nonhuman primates. We show that interspecies transmissions occur in a natural hunter-prey system, i.e., between wild chimpanzees and colobus monkeys, both of which harbor their own species-specific strains of SFV. Chimpanzees infected with chimpanzee SFV strains were shown to be coinfected with SFV from colobus monkeys, indicating that apes are susceptible to SFV superinfection, including highly divergent strains from other primate species.
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Calattini S, Betsem EBA, Froment A, Mauclère P, Tortevoye P, Schmitt C, Njouom R, Saib A, Gessain A. Simian foamy virus transmission from apes to humans, rural Cameroon. Emerg Infect Dis 2008; 13:1314-20. [PMID: 18252101 PMCID: PMC2857270 DOI: 10.3201/eid1309.061162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Bites from apes efficiently transmit the foamy virus to humans in natural settings in central Africa. Simian virus infections of humans are an increasing public health concern. Simian foamy virus (SFV) infections have been reported in persons occupationally exposed to nonhuman primates and in a few hunters in Cameroon. To better understand this retroviral zoonosis in natural settings, we studied persons who lived in southern Cameroon, near nonhuman primate habitats. First we studied a general population of 1,164 adults; 4 were SFV positive according to serologic and molecular assays. Then we studied 85 persons who reported having been bitten or scratched by nonhuman primates; 7/29 (24.1%) of those who had contact with apes (gorillas or chimpanzees) were SFV positive, compared with only 2/56 (3.6%) of those who had had contact with monkeys. These data demonstrate efficient transmission of SFVs to humans in natural settings in central Africa, specifically following ape bites, and viral persistence in the human host.
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Gessain A, Calattini S. Emergence of simian foamy viruses in humans: facts and unanswered questions. Future Virol 2008. [DOI: 10.2217/17460794.3.1.71] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A large proportion of viral pathogens that have emerged in humans are considered to have originated in animals. Simian viral infections of humans represent an increasing public health concern. This is well illustrated by retroviruses such as HIV-1/2 and human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1, which have a unique ability to cross species, adapt to a new host and spread. In this short review, we will present the currently available data on the transmission of the simian foamy retroviruses (SFVs) to humans. Indeed, recent data indicate the presence of these exogenous retroviruses, of the Spumaretrovirinae subfamily and of the Spumavirus genus, in individuals occupationally exposed to nonhuman primates (animal caretaker, veterinarian, zoo worker) and in individuals having contact with apes and monkeys, such as hunters in Central Africa. The main unanswered questions concerning the natural history of such SFVs in humans, for instance, their magnitude and geographical distribution, their interhuman transmissibility and their disease association and pathogenicity are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Gessain
- Unité d’Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, CNRS URA 3015, Département de Virologie. Bâtiment Lwoff. Institut Pasteur, 25–28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75724, Paris, Cedex 15, France
| | - Sara Calattini
- Unité d’Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, CNRS URA 3015, Département de Virologie. Bâtiment Lwoff. Institut Pasteur, 25–28 rue du Dr. Roux, 75724, Paris, Cedex 15, France. Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Medical Virology Section, 10, Center Dr, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Jones-Engel L, Steinkraus KA, Murray SM, Engel GA, Grant R, Aggimarangsee N, Lee BPYH, May C, Schillaci MA, Somgird C, Sutthipat T, Vojtech L, Zhao J, Linial ML. Sensitive assays for simian foamy viruses reveal a high prevalence of infection in commensal, free-ranging Asian monkeys. J Virol 2007; 81:7330-7. [PMID: 17475645 PMCID: PMC1933339 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00343-07] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Foamy viruses (FV) are retroviruses that naturally infect many hosts, including most nonhuman primates (NHPs). Zoonotic infection by primate FV has been documented in people in Asia who reported contact with free-ranging macaques. FV transmission in Asia is a concern, given abundant human-NHP contact, particularly at monkey temples and in urban settings. We have developed three assays capable of detecting the presence of FV in Asian NHP species that are commensal with humans: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot assays using recombinant viral Gag protein, and an indicator cell line that can detect macaque FV. The recombinant ELISA correlates very well with the presence of FV sequences detected by PCR. We have used these assays to demonstrate both that FV is highly prevalent among free-ranging NHPs and that seroconversion occurs at a young age in these animals. These assays should also prove useful for large-scale analysis of the prevalence of FV infections in human populations in Asia that are commensal with free-ranging NHPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Jones-Engel
- Washington National Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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