High Prevalence, Coinfection Rate, and Genetic Diversity of Retroviruses in Wild Red Colobus Monkeys ( Piliocolobus badius badius ) in Tai National Park, Cote d'Ivoire

A high prevalence of retroviruses, including simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (STLV-1), and simian foamy virus (SFV), was found in wild West African red colobus monkeys (Piliocolobus badius badius) in Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. The study revealed infection rates of 82% for SIV, 50% for STLV-1, and 86% for SFV, with 45% of the monkeys coinfected with all three viruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed host-specific patterns for SIV and SFV strains, while STLV-1 strains were genetically distinct, suggesting unique clades within the Taï forest. The findings highlight the potential for these retroviruses to spread to chimpanzees and humans, who hunt red colobus monkeys. This research was conducted by analyzing blood, muscle, and tissue samples from 54 wild red colobus monkeys using PCR techniques.

Leendertz, S. A. J., Junglen, S., Hedemann, C., Goffe, A., Calvignac, S., Boesch, C., & Leendertz, F. H. (2010). High Prevalence, Coinfection Rate, and Genetic Diversity of Retroviruses in Wild Red Colobus Monkeys ( Piliocolobus badius badius ) in Taï National Park, Côte d’Ivoire. Journal of Virology, 84(15), 7427–7436. https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00697-10