The cat/feline immunodeficiency virus model for transmucosal transmission of AIDS: nonoxynol-9 contraceptive jelly blocks transmission by an infected cell inoculum.
OBJECTIVE
To develop an animal model to study transmucosal lentivirus transmission, and to determine whether topical application of contraceptive jelly can block transmission by an infected cell incoulum.


METHODS
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), a lentivirus similar to HIV, causes an AIDS-like disease in domestic cats. HIV is transmitted primarily across mucosal surfaces, and infected cells may be important in this transmission. We tested the ability of FIV-infected cells to transmit infection across the vaginal, rectal and oral mucosa of the cat, and whether a vaginal contraceptive jelly could prevent such transmission.


METHODS
An inoculum consisting of 2 million FIV-infected primary cat T cells was administered vaginally, rectally or orally to female cats that had received either no pretreatment or pretreatment with a contraceptive jelly containing the detergent nonoxynol-9 as spermicide. Transmission was detected by monitoring recipient animals for viral antibodies and by viral cultures of blood leukocytes.


RESULTS
A single dose of the infected cell inoculum efficiently transmitted FIV infection when delivered into the vagina or rectum (10 out of 11 animals became infected). Pretreatment of the vagina (five animals) or rectum (four animals) with contraceptive jelly protected all animals from transmission by the highly infectious inoculum.


CONCLUSIONS
The cat/FIV model provides an efficient means to study transmucosal transmission of lentivirus infections, and for assessing vaginal barrier methods that could block transmission. One such method, nonoxynol-9 contraceptive jelly, effectively prevents transmucosal transmission by an FIV-infected cell inoculum.
Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
T R
TR
Moench
K J
KJ
Whaley
T D
TD
Mandrell
B D
BD
Bishop
C J
CJ
Witt
R A
RA
Cone
D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000187:drug effects*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000382:microbiology; D017137:Nonoxynol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012007:Rectum / Q000382:microbiology*; D013089:Spermatocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000187:drug effects; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000382:microbiology*
D013089:Spermatocidal Agents; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D017137:Nonoxynol