DNA Polymerase Sequences of New World Monkey Cytomegaloviruses: Another Molecular Marker with Which To Infer Platyrrhini Systematics.

Over the past few decades, a large number of studies have identified herpesvirus sequences from many mammalian species around the world. Among the different nonhuman primate species tested so far for cytomegaloviruses (CMVs), only a few were from the New World. Seeking to identify CMV homologues in New World monkeys (NWMs), we carried out molecular screening of 244 blood DNA samples from 20 NWM species from Central and South America.

HIV-1 Pol Gene Polymorphism and Antiretroviral Resistance Mutations in Treatment-Naive Adult Patients in French Guiana Between 2006 and 2012.

Little information is available on the molecular epidemiologic profile of HIV-1 in French Guiana, the French department with the highest HIV/AIDS incidence. To follow the evolution of HIV-1 diversity, we carried out a molecular analysis of HIV-1 isolates from 305 treatment-naive patients between 2006 and 2012. Protease and reverse-transcriptase sequences were obtained for subtype characterization, polymorphism analysis, and identification of drug resistance mutations.

Antiretroviral therapy promotes an inflammatory-like pattern of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) replication in human immunodeficiency virus type 1/HTLV-1 co-infected individuals.

Upon antiretroviral therapy (ART) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) co-infected individuals frequently develop neurological disorders through hitherto unknown mechanisms. Here, we show that effective anti-HIV ART increases HTLV-1 proviral load through a polyclonal integration pattern of HTLV-1 in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell subsets that is reminiscent of that typically associated with HTLV-1-related inflammatory conditions. These data indicate that preventing ART-triggered clonal expansion of HTLV-1-infected cells in co-infected individuals deserves investigation.

Partial molecular characterisation of New World non-human primate lymphocryptoviruses.

The description of numerous viruses belonging to the Lymphocryptovirus genus from different Old and New World non-human primate species during the past 10 years has led to developing and supporting co-speciational evolution hypotheses for these viruses and their hosts. Among the different primate species tested, only a few were from the New World. This study attempted to achieve a better understanding of the evolutionary processes within the Platyrrhini branch.

Genetic diversity and molecular evolution of human and non-human primate Gammaherpesvirinae.

The Gammaherpesvirinae sub-family is divided into two genera: Lymphocryptovirus and Rhadinovirus. Until the middle of the 1990s, the Rhadinovirus genus was only represented by Herpesvirus saimiri and Herpesvirus ateles, which infect New World monkey species. Until the year 2000, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the human prototype of the Lymphocryptovirus, and simian homologues had only been detected in humans and Old World non-human primates.

Outbreaks of disease possibly due to a natural avian herpesvirus infection in a colony of young Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) in French Guiana.

The Ile du Grand Connétable nature reserve is a rocky island off the Northern Atlantic coast of South America that hosts a unique population of Magnificent Frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens, Pelecaniformes). A high chick mortality, associated with nodular proliferative lesions, involving featherless areas, such as legs, neck, eyelids, and beak, was recorded during a consecutive 2 yr and affected almost half of the generation. Investigations were, therefore, conducted to determine the cause of these epidemics.

Increased expression of telomere length regulating factors TRF1, TRF2 and TIN2 in patients with adult T-cell leukemia.

Here, we report that freshly isolated unstimulated adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells present high telomerase activity compared to asymptomatic carriers or normal donors. In spite of this high telomerase activity, ATL cells retained shorter telomeres compared to those of uninfected cells isolated from the same patients. Because the safeguarding of telomere length is critical to the unlimited proliferation of tumor cells, we investigated the underlying mechanism for short telomere maintenance in ATL cells.

The efficacy of combined therapy of arsenic trioxide and alpha interferon in human T-cell leukemia virus type-1-infected squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus).

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) has a poor prognosis owing to its intrinsic resistance to chemotherapy. Although zidovudine (AZT) and alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) give rise to some response and improve the prognosis of ATLL, alternative therapies are needed. Arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) has been shown to synergize with IFN-alpha in arresting cell growth and inducing apoptosis of ATLL cells in vitro.

Mayaro virus: complete nucleotide sequence and phylogenetic relationships with other alphaviruses.

Mayaro (MAY) virus is a member of the genus Alphavirus in the family Togaviridae. Alphaviruses are distributed throughout the world and cause a wide range of diseases in humans and animals. Here, we determined the complete nucleotide sequence of MAY from a viral strain isolated from a French Guianese patient.

Serological and molecular evidence that human herpesvirus 8 is endemic among Amerindians in French Guiana.

We evaluated the presence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) infection among groups of Amerindians in French Guiana. The overall prevalence of antibodies against lytic HHV-8 antigens was 23.0% (180/781), increasing from 18.

High seroprevalence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 in blood donors in Guyana and molecular and phylogenetic analysis of new strains in the Guyana shelf (Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana).

The prevalence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 in blood donors in Guyana has never been estimated. We evaluated the prevalence of these viruses in blood donors by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blotting and showed a prevalence of HTLV-1 of 1.3%; no HTLV-2 was detected.

Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma-like human T-cell leukaemia virus-1 replication in infective dermatitis.

Adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a malignant T-cell proliferation that occurs in 3-5% of individuals infected with human T-cell leukaemia virus-1 (HTLV-1). HTLV-1 infection is also linked to the development of infective dermatitis (ID), an exudative dermatitis of children that has been proposed as a cofactor of ATLL. Here, HTLV-1 replication was investigated over time in a girl with ID and multiparasitic infestation including strongyloidiasis, a disease also known to predispose HTLV-1 carriers to ATLL.

Novel gamma-1 herpesviruses identified in free-ranging new world monkeys (golden-handed tamarin [Saguinus midas], squirrel monkey [Saimiri sciureus], and white-faced saki [Pithecia pithecia]) in French Guiana.

The recent finding of a novel Epstein-Barr virus-related lymphocryptovirus (CalHV-3) in a captive colony of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) in the United States modifies the view that the host range of lymphocryptovirus is restricted to humans and Old World primates. We investigated the presence of Epstein-Barr virus-related viruses in 79 samples of New World monkeys caught in the wild, including six species of the Cebidae family and one of the Callitrichidae, living in the rain forest of French Guiana. Using a degenerate consensus PCR method for the herpesvirus DNA polymerase gene, we identified three novel lymphocryptoviruses from golden-handed tamarin (Saguinus midas) of the Callitrichidae family and squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus) and white-faced saki (Pithecia pithecia) of the Cebidae family.

A sero-epidemiological study of malaria in human and monkey populations in French Guiana.

This paper describes a sero-epidemiological study of malaria prevalence in French Guiana. An immunofluorescence assay and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to detect antibodies against blood-stage antigens and synthetic peptides mimicking the repetitive epitope of the sporozoites of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae/brasilianum, in 218 human sera and 113 non-human primate sera collected in French Guiana. Almost all the monkey sera tested had antibodies against malaria blood-stages (98%) and a large majority (73%) also tested positive with the P.