Polymyositis, arthritis, and uveitis in a macaque experimentally infected with human T lymphotropic virus type I.
OBJECTIVE
To establish a simian model of human T lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) infection and disease.


METHODS
Irradiated HTLV-I-producing cells were used to infect two 2-year-old rhesus macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta). One monkey was also simultaneously inoculated with a cell-free suspension of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Evidence of infection was monitored by serial clinical examinations and by serologic, molecular, and virologic assays.


RESULTS
Both HTLV-I-inoculated monkeys became persistently infected following inoculation. Clinical disease was observed in the singly inoculated monkey, which developed arthritis (with synovial fluid positive for HTLV-I by culture and polymerase chain reaction), anterior chamber uveitis, and steroid-responsive polymyositis confirmed by electrophysiologic studies. The dually inoculated animal remained clinically healthy, despite high levels of SIV and HTLV-I virus expression and loss of HTLV-I-specific antibodies.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate the utility of a nonhuman primate model for studying HTLV-I disease pathogenesis and the dynamics of SIV-1/HTLV-I retroviral coinfection.
Beilke
M A
MA
Tulane University Medical School, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA.
Traina-Dorge
V
V
England
J D
JD
Blanchard
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000097:blood; D001168:Arthritis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D017285:Polymyositis / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000821:virology*
D000956:Antigens, Viral