In contrast to HIV, simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIV) do not cause disease in their hosts, and the reasons for this are unclear. Here, Joas et al. incorporate two putative HIV virulence factors into SIV and study effects in infected monkeys, suggesting that species-specific host factors are responsible for HIV pathogenesis.
- Simone Joas
- Erica H. Parrish
- Frank Kirchhoff