Rhesus and pig-tailed macaque parvoviruses: identification of two new members of the erythrovirus genus in monkeys

Abstract

We have previously reported the identification of a novel simian parvovirus in cynomolgus monkeys, which causes severe anemia in immunosuppressed cynomolgus monkeys and is currently being studied as an animal model for human B19 infection. We now report two similar outbreaks of anemia in rhesus and pig-tailed macaques associated with two distinct but similar simian parvoviruses (pig-tailed macaque and rhesus parvovirus). Both viruses have been cloned and over 5000 nucleotides sequenced from each virus. The viruses show marked similarities to other members of the Erythrovirus genus in the Parvoviridae family.