SIV infection of macaques: a model for studying AIDS and drug abuse

Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) were used as an animal model system to evaluate longitudinally the effects of opioid dependence on the development of AIDS. Results have shown that in addition to weakening the host's T cell and PMN functions, chronic opioid treatment of SIVmac239-infected animals caused (a) an increased virus replication rate, (b) an increased rate of viral mutation, (c) a nascent humoral (antibody) response against mutated autologous strains of virus, (d) an alteration of CD8 + cell-mediated immunity toward the mutant virus, (e) an increased tolerance of AZT among the infectious virus and (f) a shorter life span for the infected animals. These results suggest that chronic administration of opioids alters general fundamental aspects of the AIDS viremia.