Simian T-lymphotropic virus diversity among nonhuman primates, Cameroon

Emerg Infect Dis. 2009 Feb;15(2):175-84. doi: 10.3201/eid1502.080584.

Abstract

Cross-species transmission of retroviruses is common in Cameroon. To determine risk for simian T-cell lymphotropic virus (STLV) transmission from nonhuman primates to hunters, we examined 170 hunter-collected dried blood spots (DBS) from 12 species for STLV. PCR with generic tax and group-specific long terminal repeat primers showed that 12 (7%) specimens from 4 nonhuman primate species were infected with STLV. Phylogenetic analyses showed broad diversity of STLV, including novel STLV-1 and STLV-3 sequences and a highly divergent STLV-3 subtype found in Cercopithecus mona and C. nictitans monkeys. Screening of peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA from 63 HTLV-seroreactive, PCR-negative hunters did not identify human infections with this divergent STLV-3. Therefore, hunter-collected DBS can effectively capture STLV diversity at the point where pathogen spillover occurs. Broad screening using this relatively easy collection strategy has potential for large-scale monitoring of retrovirus cross-species transmission among highly exposed human populations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / classification
  • Animals, Wild / virology*
  • Blood Specimen Collection / methods
  • Cameroon / epidemiology
  • Cercopithecidae / classification
  • Cercopithecidae / virology*
  • Deltaretrovirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Deltaretrovirus Infections / veterinary*
  • Deltaretrovirus Infections / virology
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Humans
  • Meat / virology
  • Monkey Diseases / epidemiology
  • Monkey Diseases / virology
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Primate T-lymphotropic virus 3 / classification*
  • Primate T-lymphotropic virus 3 / genetics
  • Primate T-lymphotropic virus 3 / isolation & purification
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 / classification*
  • Simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 / genetics
  • Simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 / isolation & purification
  • Strepsirhini / classification
  • Strepsirhini / virology*