Simian T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Strain Type 3 (STLV-3) Subtype D Variant, a Highly Divergent STLV-3, for Development of Diagnostics, Therapeutics, Vaccines and Research Tools

Simian T-cell lymphotropic viruses (STLV) are nonhuman primate retroviruses closely related to the human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV). Types I, II, and III of HTLV have been found in humans and are believed to have originated from cross-species transmission of STLV from infected nonhuman primates. The HTLV viruses are known to cause leukemia, lymphoma, and neurological disorders.CDC researchers discovered a strain of simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3 known as STLV-3 subtype D variant. STLV-3 may be widespread in primates hunted in West-Central Africa, including the monkey Cercopithecus mona, which has a known geographic habitat range from Ghana to Cameroon. This increases the risk to hunters and persons in contact with primate bushmeat for infection with STLV-3-like viruses. Thus, the discovery of the highly divergent STLV-3 subtype D variant implies that a similar virus (HTLV-3) subtype D variant could be spreading undetected in humans.IC: Johns Hopkins UniversityNIH Ref. No.: E-303-2013-2Advantages: Allows for detection of STLV strain STLV-3 subtype D variantFacilitates monitoring of viral diversity and study of zoonotic disease transmissionApplications: Diagnostic reagents for clinical and research testing for STLV-3-like viruses in humansDiagnostic reagents for screening the blood supply for STLV-3 subtype D variantTesting of divergent strains of STLV and HTLV for susceptibility to known or experimental antiretrovirals (ARV drugs) using in vitro a...

Source: NIH OTT Licensing Opportunities - October 17, 2018 Category: Research Authors: ajoyprabhu3 Source Type: research