ORAL-TRANSMISSION OF HUMAN T-CELL LEUKEMIA-VIRUS TYPE-I INTO A COMMON MARMOSET (CALLITHRIX-JACCHUS) AS AN EXPERIMENTAL-MODEL FOR MILK-BORNE TRANSMISSION

  • 1 January 1985
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 76  (6) , 481-487
Abstract
To obtain experimental support for possible milk-borne infection of human T-cell leukemia virus type-I (HTLV-I), short-term-cultured viral antigen-positive lymphocytes obtained from peripheral blood of adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma complex (ATLL) patients were inoculated into the oral cavity of 2 adult common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) in amounts comparable to those of HTLV-1-carrying cells fed to a baby in the milk of seropositive mothers. One of the animals seroconverted 2.5 mo. after the 1st inoculation. Cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes of the marmoset revealed HTLV-I antigen expression in cells, indicating the establishment of oral infection of HTLV-I in an adult marmoset. The cell number deduced to be responsible for the infection was 5.6 .times. 107 cells (used in the first 2 inoculations). The results suggest that the concept of milk-borne infection of HTLV-I from a seropositive mother to her child is plausible.

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