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Cross-Species Transmission and Establishment of Novel Human Retroviruses
Nonhuman primates are naturally infected with a plethora of viruses with zoonotic potential, including retroviruses. These simian viruses are present in wild and captive nonhuman primate populations as well as persons exposed to nonhuman primates. Simian retroviruses, including simian immunodeficiency virus, simian type D retrovirus, simian T-lymphotropic virus, and gibbon ape leukemia virus, have been shown to cause clinical disease in nonhuman primates. In contrast, simian foamy virus, a retrovirus that is highly prevalent in most nonhuman primates, has not been associated with clinical disease in naturally infected primates. Although it has been shown that human retrovirus infections with human T-lymphotropic virus and human immunodeficiency virus originated through multiple independent introductions of simian retroviruses into human populations that then spread globally, little is known about the frequency of such zoonotic events. My research team reviews exogenous simian retroviruses as a concern for persons in direct contact with nonhuman primates, and as risks for future pandemics.
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