The following is a post I got from Promed:


PRIMATE T-LYMPHOTROPIC VIRUSES 3 & 4, HUMANS - CAMEROON
************************************************** *****
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Sat 26 Feb 2005
From: ProMED-mail >
Source: Reuters News, Fri 25 Feb 2005 [edited]
<http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N25165374.htm>


Cameroon: 2 new human T-cell lymphotropic viruses isolated
----------------------------------------------------------
2 new retroviruses never before seen in humans have turned up among
people
who regularly hunt monkeys in Cameroon, researchers reported on Fri 25
Feb
2005. Like the AIDS virus, these viruses insert their genetic material
directly into cells and perhaps even into a person's or animal's
chromosomes. Closely related versions of the viruses cause leukemia,
inflammatory, and neurological diseases.

The 2 new viruses are called human T-lymphotropic virus types 3 & 4
(abbreviated as HTLV-3 and HTLV-4). They are closely related to 2 known
viruses called HTLV-1 and HTLV-2, which experts believe were transmitted
to
people, like HIV, from monkeys and apes.

"Because HIV originated as a cross-species infection from a non-human
primate virus, the question was how much cross-species retrovirus
infections are occurring, and what are the consequences of these
infections," said Walid Hemeine of the US Centers for Disease Control
and
Prevention, who led the study.

They examined blood samples from 930 Cameroonians who had handled or
eaten
bush meat (monkeys or apes hunted for food). They used antibody
screening
and genetic analysis to find that at least 6 different simian
retroviruses
had infected 13 of the people. "2 hunters were infected with 2
previously
unknown HTLV viruses. One person was infected with HTLV-3, which is
genetically similar to a simian virus, STLV-3, and represents the 1st
documented human infection with this virus," the researchers told the
12th
Annual Retrovirus Conference being held in Boston.

"The 2nd hunter was infected with HTLV-4, a virus distinct from all
previously known human or simian T-lymphotropic viruses. It's totally
new,
so we don't know any other simian virus that is related to it," Hemeine
said in a telephone interview.

Now the team, which includes researchers at Johns Hopkins University in
Baltimore, plans to look more extensively in Central Africa for the
virus,
Hemeine said. "They could be more widespread than we think they are," he
said. Hemeine said up to 25 million people globally are infected with
HTLV-1 and 2. Currently, specialized tests are needed to find the
viruses,
he said. "It's a new virus. You pause, you say, where is this virus
coming
from. I don't think you should be taking it lightly," Hemeine said.
After
infecting one person, simian viruses often spread from person to person
through sex, mother-to-child transmission, and other exchanges of blood
and
body fluids. Like HIV, the incubation period for HTLV viruses to cause
disease can last decades, CDC said.

[byline: Maggie Fox]

--
ProMED-mail
>

[The viruses originally known as human T-lymphotropic viruses have been
re-designated primate T-lymphotropic viruses in recognition of their
prevalence in non-human primates as well as humans. Human T-lymphotropic
virus 1 and simian T-lymphotropic virus 1 are closely related and now
ranked as members of the same virus species: primate T-lymphotropic
virus
1. Likewise, Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 and simian T-lymphotropic 2
virus
are ranked now as members of the same species: primate T-lymphotropic
virus
2. Simian T-lymphotropic virus 3 was the sole member of the species,
primate T-lymphotropic virus 3, until its human counterpart was
discovered
in Cameroon as described above. Human T-lymphotropic virus 4 is an
entirely
new virus, and its simian counterpart has still to be detected. All the
primate T-lymphotropic viruses, together with the species bovine
leukemia
virus, make up the genus Deltaretrovirus, one of the 7 genera that
comprise
the family of reverse-transcribing viruses know as the Retroviridae.

The deltaretroviruses are transmitted horizontally, and no endogenous
counterparts are known. So far, they have been found only in bovines and
primates. They are associated with B- or T-cell leukemias or lymphomas,
and
neurological disease (tropical spastic paraparesis or HTLV-associated
myopathy).

HTLV-1 was isolated 1st from a cell line derived from splenic cells
taken
from a patient suffering from a hairy cell leukemia, now considered to
be a
fortuitous association. No oncogene-containing members of the genus are
known. HTLV-2 is known now to be endemic among several Amerindian
populations in North, Central and South America. In industrialized
countries, HTLV-2 is prevalent among drug abusers and is spread by
contaminated needles and by heterosexual transmission. In the developing
world, breast-feeding may be the predominant route of transmission.
Biologically, the HTLVs differ from HIV in their greater genetic
stability
and their characteristic patterns of geographic distribution.

Previously, it was thought that the present distribution of HTLV 2 in
the
world reflected its possible introduction into the New world at the time
of
the initial settlement of the American continent by the ancestors of the
present day native Americans some 20 000 to 40 000 years ago, followed
by
more recent dissemination from one or a few centers. It seems more
likely
now, in the light of the above evidence, that all 4 primate
T-lymphotropic
viruses were transmitted to humans from African primates. - Mod.CP]

[see also:
2003
---
Intl Congr Infect Dis - Mexico (Cancun): 4-7 Mar 2004 20031105.2744
2001
---
Simian foamy virus, humans - Canada 20010630.1245
2000
---
HTLV-II, brain disorder - Brazil 20000820.1382]

....................cp/msp/sh


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Scented Nectar wrote:
> The following is a post I got from Promed:

Why is most of the post in your signature, dummy?

> Cameroon: 2 new human T-cell lymphotropic viruses isolated
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> 2 new retroviruses never before seen in humans have turned up among
> people
> who regularly hunt monkeys in Cameroon

Then don't eat bush meat, don't **** people who eat bush meat, and don't
share needles with people who eat bush meat. Just don't start a
senseless panic about something *you* don't even comprehend.

> > The following is a post I got from Promed:
>
> Why is most of the post in your signature, dummy?

What are you talking about? I didn't even include
my sig in that post. I just cut and pasted the
promed post.

> > Cameroon: 2 new human T-cell lymphotropic viruses isolated
> > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > 2 new retroviruses never before seen in humans have turned up among
> > people
> > who regularly hunt monkeys in Cameroon
>
> Then don't eat bush meat, don't **** people who eat bush meat, and
don't
> share needles with people who eat bush meat. Just don't start a
> senseless panic about something *you* don't even comprehend.

Science about meat eating is of interest to those
who don't eat meat. No panic is intended. Indeed
if I intended panic, why would I post to a group
whose majority are people safe from any meat
dangers?

Here's my sig:
--
SN
http://www.scentednectar.com/veg/
A huge directory listing over 700 veg recipe sites.
Has a fun 'Jump to a Random Link' button.

Scented Nectar wrote:
>>Then don't eat bush meat, don't **** people who eat bush meat, and
>>don't share needles with people who eat bush meat. Just don't start a
>>senseless panic about something *you* don't even comprehend.
>
> Science about meat eating is of interest to those
> who don't eat meat.

That wasn't science. It was scaremongering. Your suggestion that it's
about a danger of meat is bullshit: how many people reading these two
newsgroups eat bush meat (that's meat from monkeys and apes, dingbat)?

> No panic is intended. Indeed
> if I intended panic, why would I post to a group

Two groups. You're so ****ing stoned you can't even keep track of your
own cross-posting.

> whose majority

That remains to be seen.

> are people safe from any meat
> dangers?

Especially MONKEY meat, nitwit.

> Here's my sig:

Here's my finger. Guess which one.