SIV

SIV, infectious agent of the genus Lentivirus in the family Retroviridae. The virus infects primates of the infraorder Simiiformes, which includes the so-called anthropoids—apes, monkeys, and humans. SIV is transmitted through contact with infected body fluids such as blood. It is widespread among nonhuman primates, and in most species it does not appear to cause severe illness. In chimpanzees, however, SIV infection can cause a disease resembling AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) in humans, which is...