Wild Mandrillus sphinx are carriers of two types of lentivirus.
Mandrillus sphinx, a large primate living in Cameroon and Gabon and belonging to the Papionini tribe, was reported to be infected by a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) (SIVmndGB1) as early as 1988. Here, we have identified a second, highly divergent SIVmnd (designated SIVmnd-2). Genomic organization differs between the two viral types; SIVmnd-2 has the additional vpx gene, like other SIVs naturally infecting the Papionini tribe (SIVsm and SIVrcm) and in contrast to the other SIVmnd type (here designated SIVmnd-1), which is more closely related to SIVs infecting l'hoest (Cercopithecus lhoesti lhoesti) and sun-tailed (Cercopithecus lhoesti solatus) monkeys. Importantly, our epidemiological studies indicate a high prevalence of both types of SIVmnd; all 10 sexually mature wild-living monkeys and 3 out of 17 wild-born juveniles tested were infected. The geographic distribution of SIVmnd seems to be distinct for the two types: SIVmnd-1 viruses were exclusively identified in mandrills from central and southern Gabon, whereas SIVmnd-2 viruses were identified in monkeys from northern and western Gabon, as well as in Cameroon. SIVmnd-2 full-length sequence analysis, together with analysis of partial sequences from SIVmnd-1 and SIVmnd-2 from wild-born or wild-living mandrills, shows that the gag and pol regions of SIVmnd-2 are closest to those of SIVrcm, isolated from red-capped mangabeys (Cercocebus torquatus), while the env gene is closest to that of SIVmnd-1. pol and env sequence analyses of SIV from a related Papionini species, the drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus), shows a closer relationship of SIVdrl to SIVmnd-2 than to SIVmnd-1. Epidemiological surveys of human immunodeficiency virus revealed a case in Cameroon of a human infected by a virus serologically related to SIVmnd, raising the possibility that mandrills represent a viral reservoir for humans similar to sooty mangabeys in Western Africa and chimpanzees in Central Africa.
Souquière
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Laboratoire de Virologie, UGENET, SEGC, Réserve de la Lopé, Centre International de Recherches Médicales, Franceville, Gabon.
Bibollet-Ruche
F
F
Robertson
D L
DL
Makuwa
M
M
Apetrei
C
C
Onanga
R
R
Kornfeld
C
C
Plantier
J C
JC
Gao
F
F
Abernethy
K
K
White
L J
LJ
Karesh
W
W
Telfer
P
P
Wickings
E J
EJ
Mauclère
P
P
Marx
P A
PA
Barré-Sinoussi
F
F
Hahn
B H
BH
Müller-Trutwin
M C
MC
Simon
F
F
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010215:Papio / Q000821:virology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins
D004279:DNA, Viral; D015699:HIV Envelope Protein gp120; C059762:HIV envelope protein gp120 (305-321); D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C069623:gp120 protein, Simian immunodeficiency virus