Nonhuman primate herpesviruses: importance for xenotransplantation

Herpesviruses are found throughout the animal kingdom. Members of this family share properties including a highly orchestrated system of transcription, destruction of the host cell by active viral replication and an ability to persist in the host in a latent form. Human herpesviruses have all been implicated in causing substantial disease after allotransplantation. Often transmission of these viruses has been through the donor organ or blood products. Analogous species of herpesviruses exist in nonhuman primates. Accordingly, concern regarding the risk of their transmission and disease exists with xenotransplant procedures. This chapter reviews herpesviruses of nonhuman primates and their potential implication for causing disease after xenotransplantation.