title: Feline immunodeficiency virus in South America.
abstract: The rapid emergence of AIDS in humans during the period between 1980 and 2000 has led to extensive efforts to understand more fully similar etiologic agents of chronic and progressive acquired immunodeficiency disease in several mammalian species. Lentiviruses that have gene sequence homology with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been found in different species (including sheep, goats, horses, cattle, cats, and several Old World monkey species). Lentiviruses, comprising a genus of the Retroviridae family, cause persistent infection that can lead to varying degrees of morbidity and mortality depending on the virus and the host species involved. Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) causes an immune system disease in domestic cats (Felis catus) involving depletion of the CD4+ population of T lymphocytes, increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections, and sometimes death. Viruses related to domestic cat FIV occur also in a variety of nondomestic felids. This is a brief overview of the current state of knowledge of this large and ancient group of viruses (FIVs) in South America.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Pathology and Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0609, USA.
authors.forename: Bruno M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Medical Clinics, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, 05508-270 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mitika K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.affiliation: Retrovirus et Pathologie Comparee, Universite Lyon 1, 50 Avenue Tony Garnier, 69007 Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Juliano C M
authors.initials: JCM
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.affiliation: 4Retrovirus Research Laboratory, Institute of Comparative Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Henry Wellcome Building for Comparative Medical Sciences, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, UK.
authors.forename: Margaret J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hosie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D002415:Cats; D016181:Feline Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D016089:Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity; D013020:South America / Q000453:epidemiology