Transient immunosuppressive effect induced in rabbits and mice by the human spumaretrovirus prototype HFV (human foamy virus)

Summary Spumaviruses (foamy viruses) constitute one of the three retroviral genera isolated from man. Although spumaviruses have not been clearly linked to a given pathology in humans and other infected species, it is well established that they lead in vivo to chronic infections without detectable viral expression. We thought it of interest to investigate certain aspects of the pathology induced in laboratory animals by human foamy virus (HFV). In this work, we demonstrate that HFV infection of rabbits and mice gives rise to a transient immunosuppressive effect, as evaluated in vitro by lymphocyte transformation tests. This phenomenon occurs shortly after viral inoculation, at around 4–5 days, and regresses within thirty days.