title: Discovery and biological characterization of two novel pig-tailed macaque homologs of HHV-6 and HHV-7.
abstract: Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) and -7 (HHV-7) are Roseoloviruses within the Betaherpesvirus family, which have a high prevalence and suspected involvement in a number of diseases. Using CODEHOP-based PCR, we identified homologs of both viruses in saliva of pig-tailed macaques, provisionally named MneHV-6 and MneHV-7. This finding supports the existence of two distinct Roseolovirus lineages before the divergence of humans and macaques. Using specific qPCR assays, high levels of MneHV-6 and MneHV-7 DNA were detected in macaque saliva, although the frequency was greater for MneHV-7. A blood screen of 283 macaques revealed 10% MneHV-6 DNA positivity and 25% MneHV-7 positivity, with higher prevalences of MneHV-6 in older females and of MneHV-7 in younger males. Levels of MneHV-6 were increased in animals coinfected with MneHV-7, and both viruses were frequently detected in salivary gland and stomach tissues. Our discovery provides a unique animal model to answer unresolved questions regarding Roseolovirus pathology.
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children׳s Research Institute, Seattle, Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: jstaheli@seattlechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Jeannette P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Staheli
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children׳s Research Institute, Seattle, Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: michael.dyen@seattlechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Dyen
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children׳s Research Institute, Seattle, Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: patrick.lewis@seattlechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children׳s Research Institute, Seattle, Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. Electronic address: serge.barcy@seattlechildrens.org.
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barcy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015654:Herpesvirus 6, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D016199:Herpesvirus 7, Human / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008254:Macaca nemestrina; D008297:Male; D008992:Monkey Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D019349:Roseolovirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral
keywords: CODEHOP; Human herpesvirus-6; Human herpesvirus-7; Macaca nemestrina; Oral swab; Prevalence; Roseoloviruses; Saliva; Tropism