Diverse Contexts of Zoonotic Transmission of Simian Foamy Viruses in Asia

Abstract

In Asia, contact between persons and nonhuman primates is widespread in multiple occupational and nonoccupational contexts. Simian foamy viruses (SFVs) are retroviruses that are prevalent in all species of nonhuman primates. To determine SFV prevalence in humans, we tested 305 persons who lived or worked around nonhuman primates in several South and Southeast Asian countries; 8 (2.6%) were confi rmed SFV positive by Western blot and, for some, by PCR. The interspecies interactions that likely resulted in virus transmission were diverse; 5 macaque taxa were implicated as the source of infection. Phylogenetic analysis showed that SFV from 3 infected persons was similar to that from the nonhuman primate populations with which the infected persons reported contact. Thus, SFV infections are likely to be prevalent among persons who live or work near nonhuman primates in Asia.

Cross-Species Transmission of Simian Foamy Virus to Humans in Rural Gabon, Central Africa

“…Acquired SFV infection has also been reported in hunters in the rainforest area of southern Cameroon and in people living in close contact with macaques in various Asian countries (5,12,27). In Cameroon, 24% of people who were bitten while hunting apes were infected with SFV (5).…”

Innate Sensing of Foamy Viruses by Human Hematopoietic Cells

“…From 2 to 24% of humans in contact with monkeys harbor anti-SFV antibodies or are positive by PCR analysis (5,22,27,32,36,68,75). As for monkeys, human infection is apparently nonpathogenic.…”

Distribution of Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) in Bangladesh: Inter-population Variation in Group Size and Composition

“…On the other hand, monkeys are also beaten, injured and killed by the local people. These types of interactions may increase the risk of bidirectional disease transmission (Jones-Engel et al 2008).…”