Potential of Zoonotic Transmission of Non‐Primate Foamy Viruses to Humans

Abstract

Summary The zoonotic introduction of an animal pathogen into the human population and the subsequent extension or alteration of its host range leading to the successful maintenance of the corresponding pathogen by human‐to‐human transmission pose a serious risk for world‐wide health care. Such a scenario occurred for instance by the introduction of simian immunodeficiency viruses into the human population resulting in the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) and the subsequent AIDS pandemic or the proposed recent host range switch of the SARS coronavirus from a presently unknown animal species to humans. The occurrence of zoonotic transmissions of animal viruses to humans is a permanent threat to human health and is even increased by changes in the human lifestyle. In this review, the potential of the zoonotic transmission of bovine, feline and equine foamy retroviruses will be discussed in the light of well‐documented cases of zoonotic transmissions of different simian foamy viruses to humans.

Complete Genome Sequences of Two Novel European Clade Bovine Foamy Viruses from Germany and Poland

“…In contrast, similarity to BFV isolates from the United States (GenBank accession number NC001831.1) (3) and China (GenBank accession number AY134750.1) (13) is 93% across coding and noncoding regions, reflecting high genetic relatedness. Here, we propose a European and a non-European clade of BFV isolates, as clustering of the non-European BFV isolates in phylogenetic analyses suggests common ancestry, perhaps through the sale or husbandry of BFV-positive cattle.We have recently established serology-based BFV detection systems for animal and human screening, as BFV is known to be present in the human food chain through products such as raw milk (1,8,10). Based on data presented here, we are confident that these systems will cover all BFV isolates, at least those from Friesian-Holstein cattle, which are the source of most, if not all, current BFV isolates.…”

“…Foamy viruses (FV) are complex retroviruses with a unique molecular biology and capacity to cross host species borders (1,5). There is no obvious disease associated with FV infections, but FVs have high levels of prevalence in their respective animal hosts, while the few human infections are linked to zoonotic transmission of simian FVs to human beings (9,12).…”

Pattern of seroreactivity against feline foamy virus proteins in domestic cats from Germany

“…Foamy viruses (FVs), also known as spumaretroviruses, are a distinct subfamily within the Retroviridae with distinguishing features in their replication pathway and a complex genomic organisation ( [Yu et al, 1996], [Neumann-Haefelin et al, 1993], [Linial, 1999], [Bastone et al, 2003] and [Rethwilm, 2003]). FV infections are persistent and infected animals show a sustained antibody response against Gag and Bet that is used for serological identification of infected hosts via ELISA and/or immunoblotting ( , [Hahn et al, 1994], [Heneine et al, 2003], [Khan and Kumar, 2006], [Saib, 2003] and [Williams and Khan, 2010]).…”

Similar Patterns of Infection with Bovine Foamy Virus in Experimentally Inoculated Calves and Sheep

“…In line with this, the tissue range of SFV replication has been shown to be expanded in simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-positive monkeys (17). Issues related to the pathogenic potential of FVs are of significant importance for the field since (i) FV-based vectors for gene therapy and vaccination are currently being developed in several labs, (ii) different SFVs have been shown to have a high capacity of interspecies transmissions to either other NHPs or humans, and (iii) BFV is present in the human food chain via meat or dairy products from BFV-positive cattle (18,19,20,21,22,23).…”