High Prevalences and a Wide Genetic Diversity of Simian Retroviruses in Non-human Primate Bushmeat in Rural Areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

ABSTRACT: Like the majority of emerging infectious diseases, HIV and HTLV are of zoonotic origin. Here we assess the risk of cross-species transmissions of their simian counterparts, SIV and STLV, from non-human primates (NHP) to humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A total of 331 samples, derived from NHP bushmeat, were collected as dried blood spots (DBS, n = 283) or as tissue samples (n = 36) at remote forest sites mainly in northern and eastern DRC. SIV antibody prevalences in DBS were estimated with a novel high throughput immunoassay with antigens representing the actual known diversity of HIV/SIV lineages. Antibody-positive samples were confirmed by PCR and sequence analysis. Screening for STLV infection was done with universal primers in tax, and new strains were further charact

SUBMITTER: Steve AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5360875 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature