Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Analysis of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-specific CD8+ T-cells in Rhesus Macaques by Peptide-MHC-I Tetramer Staining
06:25

Analysis of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-specific CD8+ T-cells in Rhesus Macaques by Peptide-MHC-I Tetramer Staining

Published on: December 23, 2016

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A historical perspective: Simian AIDS-an accidental windfall

Murray Gardner1

  • 1School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA. mbgardner@ucdavis.edu.

Journal of Medical Primatology
|September 20, 2016
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Simian AIDS, an important model for human disease, originated from accidental Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) transmission during 1960s kuru experiments. This historical analysis traces SIV

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Pathology
  • Primate Research
  • Virology

Background:

  • Simian AIDS has served as a critical animal model for human immunodeficiency for three decades.
  • This historical review details the origins and establishment of this experimental model.

Observation:

  • Molecular epidemiologic methods were employed to analyze historical data and non-human primate (NHP) specimens.
  • The study traced the lineage and transmission patterns of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV) among NHPs in US primate centers.

Findings:

  • Simian AIDS arose from the accidental transmission of SIV from sooty mangabeys to macaques.
  • This transmission occurred during 1960s kuru experiments at UC Davis, affecting rhesus and stump-tailed macaques.

Implications:

  • Understanding the inadvertent transmission of SIV highlights the importance of biosafety in research.
  • The historical context of Simian AIDS provides valuable insights into viral evolution and disease emergence in primate models.
Keywords:
B-cell lymphomaGajdusekNational Primate Research CentersSIVSIVmacSimian AIDSUC Daviskuruprimatetuberculosis

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