Origins of HIV and the AIDS pandemic

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) of humans is caused by two lentiviruses, human immunodeficiency viruses types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2). Here, we describe the origins and evolution of these viruses, and the circumstances that led to the AIDS pandemic. Both HIVs are the result of multiple c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in medicine 2011-09, Vol.1 (1), p.a006841-a006841
Main Authors: Sharp, Paul M, Hahn, Beatrice H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - transmission
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - virology
Animals
Ape Diseases - epidemiology
Ape Diseases - transmission
Ape Diseases - virology
Biological Evolution
Disease Vectors
Global Health
HIV-1 - genetics
HIV-1 - physiology
HIV-2 - genetics
HIV-2 - physiology
Host-Pathogen Interactions
Humans
Pan troglodytes - virology
Pandemics
Phylogeny
Retrospectives
Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology
Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - transmission
Simian Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - virology
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - genetics
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus - physiology
Zoonoses - epidemiology
Zoonoses - transmission
Zoonoses - virology
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Summary:Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) of humans is caused by two lentiviruses, human immunodeficiency viruses types 1 and 2 (HIV-1 and HIV-2). Here, we describe the origins and evolution of these viruses, and the circumstances that led to the AIDS pandemic. Both HIVs are the result of multiple cross-species transmissions of simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVs) naturally infecting African primates. Most of these transfers resulted in viruses that spread in humans to only a limited extent. However, one transmission event, involving SIVcpz from chimpanzees in southeastern Cameroon, gave rise to HIV-1 group M-the principal cause of the AIDS pandemic. We discuss how host restriction factors have shaped the emergence of new SIV zoonoses by imposing adaptive hurdles to cross-species transmission and/or secondary spread. We also show that AIDS has likely afflicted chimpanzees long before the emergence of HIV. Tracing the genetic changes that occurred as SIVs crossed from monkeys to apes and from apes to humans provides a new framework to examine the requirements of successful host switches and to gauge future zoonotic risk.
ISSN:2157-1422
2472-5412
DOI:10.1101/cshperspect.a006841