Seroprevalence of SV40-like polyomavirus infections in captive and free-ranging macaque species.
METHODS
To investigate the seroprevalence of polyomavirus infections in macaques, we analyzed 1579 sera from nine different species for antibodies cross-reactive with simian virus 40 (SV40) in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Most samples were collected from captive animals, but we also investigated a colony of free-ranging Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus).


RESULTS
High seropositive rates were found in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta; 74.7%), cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis; 44.8%) and Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana; 41.7%), especially in animals imported from China. Low rates were measured in cynomolgus macaques from Mauritius (8.8%), and in Barbary macaques (1.4%). Seropositivity was age-dependent increasing to >70% in animals of 5 years and older.


CONCLUSIONS
High seroprevalence rates were found in different species of macaques, dependent on their origin. Very low infection rates found in Barbary macaques and cynomolgus macaques from Mauritius suggest that these animals in the wild are not commonly infected by SV40-like viruses.
Verschoor
E J
EJ
Department of Virology, Biomedical Primate Research Centre, Rijswijk, The Netherlands. verschoor@bprc.nl
Niphuis
H
H
Fagrouch
Z
Z
Christian
P
P
Sasnauskas
K
K
Pizarro
M C
MC
Heeney
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D036022:Capsid Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D008251:Macaca / Q000821:virology*; D008436:Mauritius / Q000453:epidemiology; D027601:Polyomavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D036022:Capsid Proteins; C062481:VP1 protein, polyomavirus