Early helper T-cell dysfunction in simian immunodeficiency virus but not in human immunodeficiency virus type-2-infected macaques.

Both naive and vaccinated macaques acquired a virus-specific proliferative helper T-cell reactivity in response to infection with the nonpathogenic human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2). In contrast, macaques infected with the pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus of the macaque strain (SIVmac) did not develop a helper T-cell response. Furthermore, a vaccine-induced preexisting T-cell reactivity was abrogated after SIVmac infection in vaccine failures. These differences may reflect the different pathogenicity of the two closely related viruses.