Simian Foamy Virus Infections in a Baboon Breeding Colony

cSimian foamy viruses (SFVs) are thought to infect virtually any adult nonhuman primate (NHP). While many data have accumulated about patterns of codivergence with their hosts and cross-species transmission events, little is known about the modalities of SFV transmission within NHP species, especially in the wild. Here we provide a detailed investigation of the dynamics of SFV circulation in a wild community of Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus). We demonstrate that mother-offspring (vertical) SFV transmission is common and hypothesize that it accounts for a number of primary infections. We also show that multiple infections with several chimpanzee-specific SFV strains (i.e., superinfection) commonly happen in adult chimpanzees, which might point to adult-specific aggressive behaviors as a lifelong source of SFV infection. Our data give evidence for complex SFV dynamics in wild chimpanzees, even at a single community scale, and show that linking wild NHP social interactions and their microorganisms' dynamics is feasible.

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Mother-Offspring Transmission and Age-Dependent Accumulation of Simian Foamy Virus in Wild Chimpanzees

Blasse

Calvignac‐Spencer

Merkel

et al. 2013

“…FV have a high transmission rate, which is at odds with this characterization of FV infection as mostly latent. FV seroprevalence is Ͼ90% among NHP in captivity (3,26), with the majority of NHP seroconverting as juveniles, by the age of 2 years (M. Axthelm, unpublished data). Quarantine of FV-free animals in specific-pathogen-free facilities is required to prevent infection.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Expanded Tissue Targets for Foamy Virus Replication with Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Induced Immunosuppression

Murray

Picker

Axthelm

et al. 2006

Foamy viruses (FV) are the oldest known genus of retroviruses and have persisted in nonhuman primates for over 60 million years. FV are efficiently transmitted, leading to a lifelong nonpathogenic infection. Transmission is thought to occur through saliva, but the detailed mechanism is unknown. Interestingly, this persistent infection contrasts with the rapid cytopathicity caused by FV in vitro, suggesting a host defense against FV. To better understand the tissue specificity of FV replication and host immunologic defense against FV cytopathicity, we quantified FV in tissues of healthy rhesus macaques (RM) and those severely immunosuppressed by simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Contrary to earlier findings, we find that all immunocompetent animals consistently have high levels of viral RNA in oral tissues but not in other tissues examined, including the small intestine. Strikingly, abundant viral transcripts were detected in the small intestine of all of the SIV-infected RM, which has been shown to be a major site of SIV (and human immunodeficiency virus)-induced CD4 ؉ T-cell depletion. In contrast, there was a trend to lower viral RNA levels in oropharyngeal tissues of SIV-infected animals. The expansion of FV replication to the small intestine but not to other CD4 ؉ T-cell-depleted tissues suggests that factors other than T-cell depletion, such as dysregulation of the jejunal microenvironment after SIV infection, likely account for the expanded tissue tropism of FV replication.

“…Interestingly, humans are the only hominoids that are not naturally infected, and only zoonotic infections of humans have been described (1,6,11,31,32). Because of the benign nature of the infections, it is assumed that foamy viruses are ancient viruses that have coevolved with their natural hosts (3,4,7,11,33). However, these assumptions were primarily drawn based on a limited number of viruses and primate species.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Phylogeography of Orangutan Foamy Viruses Supports the Theory of Ancient Repopulation of Sumatra

Verschoor

Langenhuijzen

Bontjer

et al. 2004