SIV/SHIV-Zika co-infection does not alter disease pathogenesis in adult non-pregnant rhesus macaque model

PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018 Oct 25;12(10):e0006811. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006811. eCollection 2018 Oct.

Abstract

Due to the large geographical overlap of populations exposed to Zika virus (ZIKV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), understanding the disease pathogenesis of co-infection is urgently needed. This warrants the development of an animal model for HIV-ZIKV co-infection. In this study, we used adult non-pregnant macaques that were chronically infected with simian immunodeficiency virus/chimeric simian human immunodeficiency virus (SIV/SHIV) and then inoculated with ZIKV. Plasma viral loads of both SIV/SHIV and ZIKV co-infected animals revealed no significant changes as compared to animals that were infected with ZIKV alone or as compared to SIV/SHIV infected animals prior to ZIKV inoculation. ZIKV tissue clearance of co-infected animals was similar to animals that were infected with ZIKV alone. Furthermore, in co-infected macaques, there was no statistically significant difference in plasma cytokines/chemokines levels as compared to prior to ZIKV inoculation. Collectively, these findings suggest that co-infection may not alter disease pathogenesis, thus warranting larger HIV-ZIKV epidemiological studies in order to validate these findings.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Coinfection / pathology*
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Macaca mulatta
  • Plasma / chemistry
  • Plasma / virology
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / complications*
  • Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / pathology*
  • Viral Load
  • Zika Virus Infection / complications*
  • Zika Virus Infection / pathology*

Substances

  • Cytokines