Virus

Abstract

HIV-seronegative Cameroonians with exposure to nonhuman primates were tested for simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection. Seroreactivity was correlated with exposure risk (p<0.001). One person had strong humoral and weak cellular immune reactivity to SIVcol peptides. Humans are exposed to and possibly infected with SIV, which has major public health implications. Two major public health priorities are ensuring the safety of the blood supply and preventing the emergence of new infectious diseases. Phylogenetic evidence shows that HIV-1 and HIV-2 were introduced into humans through independent cross-species transmission of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) strains from distinct, naturally infected, nonhuman primate (NHP) hosts. HIV-1 groups M, N, and O are believed to have arisen as 3 separate cross-species transmissions from chimpanzees, and each of the HIV-2 subtypes A–G was the result of independent transmissions from sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys) to humans. While laboratory exposure to NHPs has caused infections with SIV (1–3), no direct evidence has been seen of ongoing exposure to or infection with SIV in natural settings. Nevertheless, hunting and butchering wild NHPs for food, which expose humans to NHP blood and body fluids, are widespread in sub-Saharan Africa and may lead to ongoing transmission from any of the 33 species of NHP that are known to harbor their own unique SIV strains. Since ongoing lentivirus emergence would be of substantial importance to global public health, we looked for evidence of SIV in a unique collection of plasma fro