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Evidence for an a‐herpesvirus indigenous to mountain gorillas
Author(s) -
Eberle R.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of medical primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1600-0684
pISSN - 0047-2565
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0684.1992.tb00586.x
Subject(s) - virology , biology , primate , antibody , titer , gorilla , virus , indigenous , antigen , zoology , immunology , ecology , paleontology
Sera from wild mountain gorillas were screened for antibodies reactive with primate α‐herpesviruses. Four of seven individuals tested (58%) were positive. In all four sera the highest titers were to HSV‐2 followed by HSV‐1 and SA8. Immunoblot analysis confirmed a preferential reactivity with HSV‐2 antigen. Further analysis by competition ELISA indicated that these gorillas had experienced infection with a virus antigenically similar but not identical to HSV‐2. These results represent the first evidence for an a‐herpesvirus indigenous in a free ranging, nonhuman anthropoid species.