title: The prevalence of antibodies to simian T-cell leukaemia/lymphotropic virus (STLV-I) in non-human primate colonies in Kenya.
abstract: Retroviruses closely related to the human T-cell leukaemia/lymphotrophic virus type I (HTLV-I) have been detected in several, non-human, primate species. These retroviruses are called simian T-lymphotrophic virus type I (STLV-I). Infection with STLV-I has been associated with lymphoma and leukaemia in macaques, baboons, African green monkeys and gorillas. However, no STLV-I infection has been detected in New World primates, although STLV-II has been detected in spider monkeys. When sera from 10 species of non-human primates maintained at the Institute of Primate Research were screened for STLV-I infection, anti-STLV-I antibodies were detected in 12%, 12%, 23% and 38% of the olive baboons, yellow baboons, African green monkeys and lowland Sykes' monkeys, respectively. Western-blot studies confirmed these results. To date, no clinical disease has been linked with STLV-I infection in these colonies. The relatively high prevalence of anti-STLV-I antibodies in these non-human primates offers an opportunity for studies on the transmission, phylogenetic relationships and natural history of STLV-I in primate colonies.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Primate Research, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya. jmmwenda@arcc.or.ke
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mwenda
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Sichangi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Isahakia
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: van Rensburg
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Langat
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops / Q000276:immunology; D007630:Kenya; D010215:Papio / Q000276:immunology; D015995:Prevalence; D011323:Primates / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015303:Simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral