Immediate zidovudine treatment protects simian immunodeficiency virus-infected newborn macaques against rapid onset of AIDS.
Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection of newborn rhesus macaques is a practical animal model of pediatric AIDS. Intravenous inoculation of rhesus newborns with uncloned SIVmac resulted in a high virus load, no antiviral immune responses, severe immunodeficiency, and a high mortality rate within 3 months. In contrast, immediate oral zidovudine (AZT) treatment of SIV-inoculated rhesus newborns either prevented infection or resulted in reduced virus load, enhanced antiviral immune responses, a low frequency of AZT-resistant virus isolates, and delayed disease progression with negligible toxicity. These results suggest that early chronic AZT treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-exposed newborns may have benefits that outweigh its potential side effects.
Van Rompay
K K
KK
California Regional Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis 95616.
Otsyula
M G
MG
Marthas
M L
ML
Miller
C J
CJ
McChesney
M B
MB
Pedersen
N C
NC
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008954:Models, Biological; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000276:immunology*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015215:Zidovudine