Data from: Zoonotic infection of Brazilian primate workers with New World simian foamy virus

Simian foamy viruses (SFVs) are retroviruses present in nearly all nonhuman primates (NHPs), including Old World primates (OWP) and New World primates (NWP). While all confirmed human infections with SFV are from zoonotic transmissions originating from OWP, little is known about the zoonotic transmission potential of NWP SFV. We conducted a longitudinal, prospective study of 56 workers occupationally exposed to NWP in Brazil. Plasma from these workers was tested using Western blot (WB) assays containing NWP SFV antigens. Genomic DNA from blood and buccal swabs was analyzed for the presence of proviral SFV sequences by three nested PCR tests and a new quantitative PCR assay. Exposure histories were obtained and analyzed for associations with possible SFV infection. Ten persons (18%) tested seropositive and two persons were seroindeterminate (3.6%) for NWP SFV. Six persons had seroreactivity over 2-3 years suggestive of persistent infection. All SFV NWP WB-positive workers reported at least one incident involving NWP, including six reporting NWP bites. NWP SFV viral DNA was not detected in the blood or buccal swabs from all 12 NWP SFV seroreactive workers. We also found evidence of SFV seroreversion in three workers suggestive of possible clearance of infection. Our findings suggest that NWP SFV can be transmitted to occupationally-exposed humans and can elicit specific humoral immune responses but infection remains well-controlled resulting in latent infection and may occasionally clear.

猿泡沫病毒（Simian foamy virus，SFV）是一类广泛存在于几乎所有非人类灵长类动物（nonhuman primates，NHPs）中的逆转录病毒，涵盖旧世界灵长类（Old World primates，OWP）与新世界灵长类（New World primates，NWP）两类群。目前已确认的人类SFV感染均源于旧世界灵长类的跨物种（人畜共患）传播，但新世界灵长类来源SFV的跨物种传播潜力仍有待阐明。本研究针对巴西地区56名存在新世界灵长类职业暴露的工作人员开展了纵向前瞻性研究。采用搭载新世界灵长类SFV抗原的蛋白质免疫印迹（Western blot，WB）实验，对受试者血浆样本进行血清学检测；同时通过三项巢式聚合酶链式反应（nested PCR）试验与新型定量聚合酶链式反应检测体系，对血液与口腔拭子的基因组DNA进行分析，以检测前病毒SFV序列。研究收集并分析了受试者的暴露史，以探究其与SFV感染的潜在关联。血清学检测结果显示，10名受试者（占比18%）新世界灵长类SFV血清学阳性，另有2名（占比3.6%）血清学结果处于不确定区间。其中6名受试者的血清反应性持续2~3年，提示存在持续性感染。所有新世界灵长类SFV蛋白质免疫印迹检测阳性的受试者，均报告至少1次与新世界灵长类的直接接触事件，其中6人提及曾被新世界灵长类咬伤。但在这12名新世界灵长类SFV血清反应阳性受试者的血液与口腔拭子样本中，均未检测到新世界灵长类SFV病毒DNA。本研究还观察到3名受试者出现SFV血清学转阴现象，提示感染可能被机体自发清除。综上，本研究结果表明，新世界灵长类来源的SFV可传播给存在职业暴露的人类，并可诱导特异性体液免疫应答，但感染可被宿主免疫系统良好控制，进而呈现潜伏感染状态，且偶可实现自发清除。