Human immunodeficiency viruses: SIV infection in wild gorillas

Nature. 2006 Nov 9;444(7116):164. doi: 10.1038/444164a.

Abstract

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) from west central Africa are recognized as the reservoir of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVcpzPtt) that have crossed at least twice to humans: this resulted in the AIDS pandemic (from human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1 group M) in one instance and infection of just a few individuals in Cameroon (by HIV-1 group N) in another. A third HIV-1 lineage (group O) from west central Africa also falls within the SIVcpzPtt radiation, but the primate reservoir of this virus has not been identified. Here we report the discovery of HIV-1 group O-like viruses in wild gorillas.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Wild / virology*
  • Cameroon / epidemiology
  • Feces / virology
  • Gorilla gorilla / classification
  • Gorilla gorilla / virology*
  • Humans
  • Pan troglodytes / virology
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / transmission
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / virology*
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / classification
  • Simian Immunodeficiency Virus / isolation & purification*
  • Zoonoses / transmission
  • Zoonoses / virology