title: Type D retrovirus markers in healthy Africans from Guinea.
abstract: Sixteen matching sera and DNA samples from healthy African blood donors living in rural areas of Guinea were analysed for the presence of type D retrovirus markers. Screening for the antibodies against structural proteins of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (M-PMV) was carried out by Western blot with a purified M-PMV as an antigen. Eight out of 16 sera samples were found to contain antibodies against at least two gag gene-coded proteins, and three of these were weakly positive against env gene-coded protein. Using PCR amplification and Southern hybridization, we detected M-PMV-like gag sequences in 11 out of 16 samples and env-related sequences in 8 out of 16 samples. Six DNAs were found to contain both M-PMV gag- and env-related sequences. Restriction endonuclease analysis of the PCR-amplified gag sequences from two individuals and direct DNA sequencing analysis of the amplimers confirmed their M-PMV-like origin. Detection of antibodies and M-PMV-related sequences in blood donors from Guinea, but not in French or Algerian blood donors, indicated exogenous SRV infection in humans from certain geographic areas of Western Africa.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Carcinogenesis, NCI-Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center, MD 21702, USA.
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Morozov
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lagaye
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lyakh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: ter Meulen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002648:Child; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016701:Guinea; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016093:Mason-Pfizer monkey virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000821:virology; D014412:Tumor Virus Infections / Q000821:virology; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D015415:Biomarkers; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015678:Viral Structural Proteins; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes