lentivirus

Introduction

A genus of the family Retroviridae consisting of non-oncogenic retroviruses.

Pathology

• multi-organ diseases
• able to infect non-dividing cells
• primate lentiviruses use CD4 as receptor

Genetics

• unique in that they contain open reading frames (ORFs) between the pol & env genes and in the 3' env region

Clinical manifestations

• long incubation periods
• persistent infection

Laboratory

• 5 serogroups are recognized
• no Loincs found

More general terms

• Retroviridae (retrovirus)