Lentiviral encephalitides in the immature host: A comparison of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) brain infection

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) are members of the lentivirus subfamily of retroviruses. Both are capable of establishing persistent infection in the nervous system and both demonstrate increased virulence in the immature of their respective host species. Brain infection with these primate lentiviruses share common virologic and neuropathologic features. The available evidence to date suggests that viral factors may determine neuroinvasiveness and possibly neurovirulence, but that host factors may be largely responsible for the neuropathologic changes observed.