PREVENTION OF HIV-2 AND SIV INFECTIONS IN CYNOMOLGUS MACAQUES BY PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENT WITH 3'-FLUOROTHYMIDINE

The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) for in vivo evaluation of antiviral drugs in monkeys and to study if prophylactic treatment with 3'-fluorothymidine (FLT) could prevent infection against a low challenge dose of HIV-2 or simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV). Protection against infection was assessed by virus isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on monkey peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) as well as by antibody and viral antigen assays. Prophylactic treatment with FLT 3 x 5 mg/kg/day, starting 8 h prior to virus inoculation, prevented HIV-2 infection in 3 of 8 monkeys. In another experiment 2 of 4 monkeys resisted 2-10 monkey infectious doses (MID50) of SIV with the same prophylactic treatment. All control animals (HIV-2 n = 8, SIV n = 4) became infected. Thus, FLT treatment prevented HIV-2 and SIV infection in 5 of 12 animals.