AEGiS-14IAC: STLV prevalences in wild primate populations in Cameroon: evidence for dual STLV-1 and STLV-3 infection.

14th International AIDS Conference

Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

STLV prevalences in wild primate populations in Cameroon: evidence for dual STLV-1 and STLV-3 infection.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. A10024)

Liegeois F, Auzel P, Dooren SV, Mpoudi-Ngole E, Abela B, Loul S, Pourrut X, Butel C, Courgnaud V, Vandamme A, Delaporte E, Peeters M
IRD/UR36, Montpellier, France

BACKGROUND: Three HTLV/STLV (PTLV) types have been characterized,with evidence for zoonotic origin from primates for HTLV-1 in Africa. To assess human exposure to STLVs in west central Africa, we screened for STLV infection monkeys and apes,hunted in the rainforests of Cameroon for bushmeat or kept as pets. Materials and

METHODS: Blood was obtained from 691 primates all wild-caught in Cameroon between 1999 and 200;502 were sampled as bushmeat and 189 were pets. Plasma was tested for HTLV/STLV antibodies using a commercial Elisa (HTLV-I/-II kit (Abbott Laboratories, Illinois, USA) followed by a commercial confirmatory and discriminatory assay (HTLV-I/II Innolia, Innogenetics, Ghent, Belgium). A diagnostic generic and type-specific tax-rex PTLV PCR was done to confirm the serological results.

RESULTS: Serologic reactivity was found in 9 primate species, C.agilis, C.cephus, C.mona, C.neglectus, C.nictitans, C.pogonias, C.tantalus, M.oguensis, and M.sphinx. Overall,we found 44 sera(6,3%) to react with HTLV-1/2 antigens,8,1% in bushmeat and 1,5% in pets. Differences in prevalences could be explained by different age distribution,81% of pets were juveniles versus 7% only in bushmeat. Prevalences ranged from 0,7% (2/278) for C.cephus to more than 40% (21/48) for C.agilis. Different antibody profiles,HTLV-1,HTLV-2 or HTLV 1+2,were observed among the different species but also within species. Discriminatory PCRs identified STLV-1,STLV-3 and STLV-1 + 3 in HTLV-1,HTLV-2,and HTLV 1+2 cross-reactive samples respectively. Dual infection was identified in C.agilis, C.cephus and C.neglectus. Co-circulation of STLV-1 and STLV-3 was seen in populations of C.agilis, C.cephus, C.neglectus,and C.nictitans.

CONCLUSIONS: These data document for the first time that(1)a substantial proportion of wild-living monkeys in Cameroon is STLV infected,(2)humans are exposed to STLV-1 and -3 infections,(3) STLV-1 and -3 cocirculate in the same species (4)dual infection with STLV-1 and STLV-3 in several primate species.

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A10024