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Published on: January 27, 2019
Sexual Transmission of XMRV: A Potential Infection Route
Prachi Sharma1, Kenneth A Rogers, Suganthi Suppiah
1Division of Pathology, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
Advances in Virology
|February 8, 2012
Summary
This study shows that the mouse retrovirus, XMRV, can infect the reproductive tracts of macaques. This suggests XMRV may be sexually transmissible, even after intravenous inoculation.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Infectious Diseases
- Reproductive Health
Background:
- The human T-lymphotropic virus type 2 (HTLV-2) related retrovirus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), has been detected in the prostates of some patients.
- The presence of XMRV in human tissues raises questions regarding its transmission routes, particularly sexual transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a non-human primate model for XMRV infection.
- To investigate the dissemination of XMRV within the reproductive tract following intravenous inoculation.
- To assess the potential for sexual transmission of XMRV.
Main Methods:
- Rhesus macaques were intravenously inoculated with XMRV.
- Infection levels were monitored during acute and chronic stages.
- XMRV presence was detected in reproductive tissues (prostate, seminal vesicles, epididymis, testes, cervix, vagina) using molecular and immunological methods.
Main Results:
- XMRV was readily detected in the reproductive tracts of all infected male and female macaques.
- Explosive viral growth occurred in the prostate during the acute infection phase.
- XMRV protein production was consistently found in seminal vesicles, epididymis, testes, cervix, and vagina throughout the infection.
Conclusions:
- Intravenous XMRV inoculation leads to widespread infection in the male and female reproductive tracts of macaques.
- The findings suggest that XMRV has the potential for sexual transmission.
- This macaque model provides a valuable tool for studying XMRV pathogenesis and transmission.
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