title: Detection of herpesvirus DNA in cottontop tamarins: no association with colitis.
abstract: Colitis occurs spontaneously in the cottontop tamarin; it shares similar clinical, endoscopic and histological features with, and has a similar response to treatment as, human ulcerative colitis. An association between human ulcerative colitis and the presence of DNA from multiple herpesviruses (human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in the colon has been described. Intestinal herpesvirus infection may be involved in the pathogenesis of this condition. In a pilot study, coded full thickness colonic specimens from 27 cottontop tamarins were examined for the presence of HHV-6, CMV and EBV DNA using the nested polymerase chain reaction. The sections represented a spectrum of disease activity ranging from histologically normal bowel to severe colitis. A low prevalence of DNA from these viruses was found, which bore no relation to the presence of inflammation. Although these herpesviruses may have a pathogenetic role in human ulcerative colitis, they are not associated with colitis in this animal model.
authors.affiliation: Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Group, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fox
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Pounder
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wakefield
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012452:Saguinus
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral