title: Persistence of low levels of simian immunodeficiency virus in macaques that were transiently viremic by conventional testing.
abstract: Transient SIV viremia after experimental SIV challenge has been documented. Whether SIV persists in these transiently viremic macaques remains unclear. In the present study, we applied a sensitive PCR and found persistent low levels of SIVmne infection (LLSI) (range: 0.1-5.3 SIV DNA copies/10(6) PBMC) in seven macaques that were transiently positive by conventional assays, which was 10(2)- to 10(6)-fold less than those of SIVmne infected monkeys with typical disease progression. SIV envelope V1 sequences remained homogeneous in these macaques for the 6-year study period, with a mean evolution rate of 0.005% per site per year, which was not different from zero (P = 0.612) and significantly lower than that (0.56-1.18%) in macaques with progressive infection of SIVmne. LLSI macaques have remained free from SIV-associated illness, and are still alive 10 years after virus inoculation. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this outcome may provide valuable insight into therapy and vaccine development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. tzhu@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Tuofu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Shiu-Lok
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Polacino
authors.forename: Huanliang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hwangbo
authors.forename: Gerald H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Learn
authors.forename: James I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Mullins
authors.forename: Lawrence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Corey
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007114:Immunization; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011533:Proviruses; D018449:SAIDS Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D016097:Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology*; D015302:Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014766:Viremia
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D004279:DNA, Viral; D015686:Gene Products, env; D018449:SAIDS Vaccines