Molecular epidemiology of simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV) in wild-caught monkeys and apes from Cameroon: a new STLV-1, related to human T-lymphotropic virus subtype F, in a Cercocebus agilis.
A serological survey for human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV)/simian T-lymphotropic virus (STLV) antibodies was performed in 102 wild-caught monkeys and apes from 15 (sub)species originating from Cameroon. Two animals (a Mandrillus sphinx and a Cercocebus agilis) exhibited a complete HTLV-1 seroreactivity pattern while two others lacked either the p24 (a Mandrillus sphinx) or the MTA-1/gp46 bands (a Pan troglodytes). Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analyses, using a 522 bp env gene fragment and the complete LTR, indicated that the two mandrill STLV strains belonged to the HTLV/STLV subtype D clade while the chimpanzee strain clustered in the HTLV/STLV subtype B clade. The Cercocebus agilis STLV strain, the first one found in this species, was closely related to the two HTLV/STLV subtype F strains. Such data indicate that the African biodiversity of STLV-1 in the wild is far from being known and reinforces the hypothesis of interspecies transmission of STLV-1 from monkeys and apes to humans leading to the present day distribution of HTLV-1 in African inhabitants.
Nerrienet
Eric
E
Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, BP 1274, Yaoundé, Cameroon1.
Meertens
Laurent
L
Unité d'Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Département du SIDA et des Rétrovirus, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France2.
Kfutwah
Anfumbom
A
Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, BP 1274, Yaoundé, Cameroon1.
Foupouapouognigni
Yacouba
Y
Centre Pasteur du Cameroun, BP 1274, Yaoundé, Cameroon1.
Gessain
Antoine
A
Unité d'Epidémiologie et Physiopathologie des Virus Oncogènes, Département du SIDA et des Rétrovirus, Institut Pasteur, 25-28 rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France2.
D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D016664:Cercocebus / Q000821:virology*; D006800:Deltaretrovirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary*; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010215:Papio / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D015303:Simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics*
D012367:RNA, Viral