title: Identification and molecular characterization of new simian T cell lymphotropic viruses in nonhuman primates bushmeat from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
abstract: Four types of human T cell lymphotropic viruses (HTLV) have been described (HTLV-1 to HTLV-4) with three of them having closely related simian virus analogues named STLV-1, -2, and -3. To assess the risk of cross-species transmissions of STLVs from nonhuman primates to humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a total of 330 samples, derived from primate bushmeat, were collected at remote forest sites where people rely on bushmeat for subsistence. STLV prevalences and genetic diversity were estimated by PCR and sequence analysis of tax-rex and LTR fragments. Overall, 7.9% of nonhuman primate bushmeat is infected with STLVs. We documented new STLV-1 and STLV-3 variants in six out of the seven species tested and showed for the first time STLV infection in C. mona wolfi, C. ascanius whitesidei, L. aterrimus aterrimus, C. angolensis, and P. tholloni. Our results provide increasing evidence that the diversity and geographic distribution of PTLVs are much greater than previously thought.
authors.affiliation: UM1 233, Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD) and University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahuka-Mundeke
authors.forename: Placide
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mbala-Kingebeni
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liegeois
authors.forename: Ahidjo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ayouba
authors.forename: Octavie
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lunguya-Metila
authors.forename: Didace
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demba
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bilulu
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mbenzo-Abokome
authors.forename: Bila-Isia
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Inogwabini
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Muyembe-Tamfum
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delaporte
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peeters
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011323:Primates / Q000821:virology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D015303:Simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D020079:Terminal Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics