Serologic Screening of Rhesus and Grivet Monkeys for SV 40 and the Foamy Viruses

Summary

Progress toward the elimination of SV₄₀ and the foamy viruses from primary cell cultures of monkey kidney has been achieved by a complement fixation-antibody screening test. Data obtained over a 2-year period with a large number of rhesus and grivet monkeys indicate that the test was 85-98% effective in selecting monkeys free of foamy virus contamination, and approximately 80% effective in selecting rhesus monkeys free of SV_40. Valid results with the foamy virus CF tests were obtained only when rhesus monkeys were screened with a serotype I foamy virus antigen, and grivet monkeys with serotype II or III foamy virus antigens. Analysis of serologic and virus-isolation data obtained over a 4-year period revealed that approximately 50% of the rhesus monkey sera tested were CF-positive for type I foamy virus and 16% were positive for SV_40. With grivet monkeys, approximately 60% were CF-positive for type II foamy virus, and none were positive for SV_40.