Why aren't foamy viruses pathogenic?
Foamy viruses are complex retroviruses that lead to either highly cytopathic or persistent infections in vitro, but to non-pathogenic lifelong infections in naturally or accidentally infected hosts. Factors that could contribute to these benign persistent infections include regulated transcription from the two viral promoters, the functions of the Bet accessory protein and the host immune response.
Linial
M
M
Divn. of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N., Seattle WA 98019, USA. mlinial@fhcrc.org
D000818:Animals; D016355:Genes, pX; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D012192:Retroviridae Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology*; D012191:Retroviridae Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016092:Spumavirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D017735:Virus Latency; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000235:genetics
D012191:Retroviridae Proteins; C080099:bet protein, human foamy virus