Pathogenesis of lentivirus-induced arthritis. A review.

While it has been known for some years that there is an association between lentiviruses and slowly progressive joint diseases in ruminants, the realization that the human immunodeficiency virus, the cause of AIDS, is a lentivirus has made this group of virus the focus of a considerable research effort. The manifestations of lentivirus infection in animals are discussed and reference is made to the possibility of using them as models for human rheumatoid arthritis and for AIDS.