[Primates as a model for the study of lentiviruses and AIDS]

Neither vaccine nor therapy are, to date, available against human HIV infections. Because few is known on human pathogenesis, a standardized animal model is urgently required. Today, different models have been available: 1) "partial models" of the human infection (murine retrovirus, infection of SCID or transgenic mice with HIV, sheep infection with Visna, rabbits infected with HIV1, etc.). These models cannot be used in testing vaccine strategies, but may help in evaluating some particular stages of the pathogenesis of the disease, and the targets of antiretroviral drugs. 2) Disease models, such as cats infected with FIV, and, above, primates infected with HIV or SIV (SIV infected macaques, and, perhaps, HIV2 rhesus monkeys). Primate models are the only possibility to day in testing vaccine procedures before screening among a large population of seronegative humans, and determining drug combination which might be useful in HIV specific therapy. The best primate model is today the SIVMAC251 infected rhesus monkey model, which standardization is now on progress.