Three infectious, attenuated molecular clones of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVmac) were tested for viral and host determinants of protective immunity. The viruses differed in degree of virulence from highly attenuated to moderately attenuated to partially attenuated. Levels of immune stimulation and antiviral immunity were measured in rhesus macaques inoculated 2 years previously with these viruses. Monkeys infected with the highly attenuated or moderately attenuated viruses had minimal lymphoid hyperplasia, normal CD4/CD8 ratios, low levels of SIV-specific antibodies, and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity against p55gag (Gag) or gp160env (Env). Monkeys infected with the partially attenuated virus had moderate to marked lymphoid hyperplasia, normal CD4/CD8 ratios, high levels of SIV-specific antibodies, and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity against both Gag and Env. After pathogenic virus challenge, monkeys immunized with the partially attenuated virus had 100- to 1,000-fold-lower viral load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and lymph node mononuclear cells than naive control animals. One of four monkeys immunized with the highly attenuated virus and two of four monkeys immunized with the moderately attenuated virus developed similarly low viral loads after challenge. These three attenuated strains of SIV induced a spectrum of antiviral immunity that was inversely associated with their degree of attenuation. Only the least attenuated virus induced resistance to challenge infection in all immunized monkeys.

The prophylactic and therapeutic properties of 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) against simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection were tested in four 3-month-old rhesus macaques. The infant monkeys were inoculated intravenously with a low dose (1 to 10 100% animal infectious doses) of uncloned SIVmac. The monkeys were treated orally with 50 mg of AZT per kg of body weight every 8 h; two animals were started on treatment 2 h prior to virus inoculation, and two animals were started on treatment 6 weeks later. All four animals were treated for a period of 6 to 10 weeks. Outward signs of AZT toxicity were absent, but a mild macrocytic anemia occurred soon after therapy was started and resolved shortly after it was discontinued. The two infants that were begun on AZT treatment 2 h prior to virus inoculation never became infected, as demonstrated by the inability to detect cell-free or cell-associated virus in the blood, proviral DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, or anti-SIV antibodies. AZT administration over a 10-week period had no detectable effect on the course of disease in the two animals that were begun on treatment after the infection had been established. In addition to demonstrating the prophylactic effect of AZT against low-dose SIV exposure, the study demonstrated the ease with which infant rhesus macaques can be used for antiretroviral drug testing.

One inoculation of cell-free SIV(MAC) (50 TCID50) caused presistent viremia in nine of 13 female rhesus macaques inoculated intravaginally. Persistent viremia was produced in two of four male rhesus macaques by twice placing cell-free SIV(MAC) (50 TCID50) onto the skin and urethral os of the penis. Placing a spermicide containing nonoxynol-9 into the vaginal canal prior to repeated intravaginal inoculations of SIV prevented transmission of the virus in three of six female rhesus macaques.