Pathogenesis of simian foamy virus infection in natural and experimental hosts.

Inoculation of simian foamy virus type 1 into New Zealand white rabits resulted in an infection which was very similar to that observed in naturally infected nonhuman primates. Both intraperitoneal and intranasal inculations were found to be efficient procedures for the establishment of the infection in rabbits. Infection by the nasal route was found to be the best method, whereas no infection could be established by feeding virus in the drinking water. Once infection was established, virus persisted in the tissues and organs for as long as 264 days after inoculation, during which time the animals maintained significant levels of neutralizing antibody. Infectious virus was recovered from spleen, liver, lung, salivary gland, kidney, and, to a lesser extent, the brain. Virus was isolated from the blood only during early infection and never from the urine. A comparison of the distribution of foamy virus in naturally infected monkeys and baboon with experimentally infected rabbits showed that both groups harbored infectious virus in the same internal tissues and organs. Recovery of infectious virus from both groups of animals was accomplished by cultivation and/or co-cultivation of infected cells onto Vero cells.