Prevalence of natural infection with simian immunodeficiency virus and simian T-cell leukemia virus type I in a breeding colony of sooty mangabey monkeys.
The seroprevalence of antibodies to simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVsmm) and simian T-cell leukemia virus type I (STLV-I) in a captive breeding colony of sooty mangabey monkeys was determined, and infection by SIVsmm was confirmed in all cases by virus isolation. Among 138 animals tested, 57 and 33% were infected with SIVsmm and STLV-I, respectively. While the proportion of female mangabeys (66%) differed significantly (P less than 0.01) from the proportion of male mangabeys (42%) infected with SIVsmm, the proportions of males and females infected with STLV-I were similar, suggesting independent transmission of the two viruses. Among mangabeys less than 1 year old, none were infected with STLV-I and only five of 27 mangabeys, all of which were at least 6 months old when first tested, were infected with SIVsmm. The data document that natural infection of sooty mangabey monkeys with SIVsmm or in association with STLV-I infection does not result in increased disease or mortality, and that transmission of both SIVsmm and STLV-I appears to occur primarily through sexual activity.
Fultz
P N
PN
Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30322.
Gordon
T P
TP
Anderson
D C
DC
McClure
H M
HM
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002520:Cercopithecidae / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000635:transmission; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D015301:Retroviruses, Simian / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015303:Simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral