Sylvatic HTLV (Human T cell Lymphotropic Virus) Related Viruses in South America

摘要

Ninety one of 2441 serum specimens (3.7%) from persons in 18 of 25 Amerindian tribes distributed across most of the length and breadth of South America reacted positively in HIV1 ELISA tests. None of 148 specimens from non-Indians living near one tribe was positive. Twenty-seven mostly different individuals, of 1084 tested (2.5%) reacted positively in an HTLV-I ELISA test. Twelve sera that were positive in one or both of the ELISA tests reacted in Western Blot tests with the proteins of HIV1, but only one of these gave the pattern of bands usually associated with HIV1 infection. Similar partial reactions were obtained in Western Blot tests with SIV(MAC) proteins. The positive sera included, more frequently than by chance, Martial couples, sibs and mother-child pairs. Eighteen of 387 specimens (4.6%) from Platyrhine primates captured in various parts of the Amazon Basin were positive by a Protein A ELISA test for HIV1. The positive specimens included the genera Alouatta, Aotus, Ateles, Cebus and Snguinus. Fourteen of 30 ELISA positive sera were also positive for one or more proteins by HIV2 Western Blot. One a Cebus, positive for P18, 24, 34, 110 and 140, fulfilled the criteria for specificity. The pattern of distribution does not follow that of malaria and Western Blot reactions and suggests the existence of one or more viruses related to, but different from, that of AIDS in the Amazon area. (kt)