Retrovirus Emergence among Hunters in Central Africa

描述(申请人提供)：在中部非洲的猎人中出现逆转录病毒艾滋病毒和HTLV都是多次将非人类灵长类病毒引入人类群体的结果。尽管这些病毒对人类健康很重要，但这些病毒和其他潜在的新型逆转录病毒进入人类的频率和这种跨物种传播的机制仍不清楚。拟议的职业发展计划的总体目标是制定一个独立的研究计划，以解决逆转录病毒出现的频率、机制和后果。在K01奖的第一期(10/99-9/03)期间，PI为研究逆转录病毒的出现建立了一个实地基地，接受了逆转录病毒研究方法的培训，并发现了狩猎和逆转录病毒出现(SFV)之间存在联系的第一个证据。在K01奖的第二期(10/04-9/07)期间，PI建议开展三项主要的职业发展活动，旨在推动反转录病毒的研究：1)发展独立的实验室和学术基础；2)开发竞争性的R01赠款提案；以及3)开发普遍应用的逆转录病毒诊断的新方法。这些活动将在向分子流行病学终身教职职位过渡的背景下进行(从2003年7月开始)。在这项建议中，我们建议调查非洲农村猎人中自然获得的SFV感染的持久性、传播性、临床和免疫学表现。这项研究将包括三个具体的假设：1)SFV不会以可检测到的形式存在；2)SFV不是性传播的；3)SFV不会导致临床表现。这个拟议的K01研究部分将补充和利用美国军方艾滋病毒研究计划的一个更大的奖项，该奖项将支持在一群猎人中出现逆转录病毒的研究。这项申请中提出的职业发展和研究活动将共同支持PI发展成为一名富有成效的独立调查者，并增进对逆转录病毒如何进入人类群体的理解。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Retrovirus Emergence among Hunters in Central Africa Both HIV and HTLV have emerged as the result of multiple introductions of nonhuman primate viruses into human populations. Despite the importance of these viruses for human health, the frequency at which these and other potentially novel retroviruses enter into humans and the mechanisms for such cross-species transmission remain unknown. The overall objective of the proposed career development plan is to develop an independent research program to address the frequency, mechanisms, and consequences of retroviral emergence. During the first period of the K01 award (10/99 - 9/03) the PI established a field base for the study of retroviral emergence, obtained training in retroviral research methods, and discovered the first evidence of a link between hunting and retroviral emergence (SFV). During the second period of the K01 award (10/04 - 9/07) the PI proposes to undertake three primary career development activities aimed at advancing research in retroviral emergence: 1) development of an independent laboratory and academic base; 2) development of a competitive R01 grant proposal; and 3) development of novel methods for universal retroviral diagnosis. These activities would take place in the context of a transition to a tenure-track position in molecular epidemiology (beginning 7/03). In this proposal we propose to investigate the persistence, transmissibility, and clinical and immunological manifestations of naturally acquired SFV infection among rural African hunters. The research will include three specific hypotheses: 1) SFV does not persist in a detectable form; 2) SFV is not sexually transmitted; 3) SFV does not result in clinical manifestations. This proposed K01 research component would supplement and leverage a larger award from the US Military HIV Research Program that will support studies of retroviral emergence among a cohort of hunters. Together the career development and research activities proposed in this application will support the development of the PI as a productive independent investigator and advance understanding of how retroviruses enter into human populations.