Although retroviruses have long been associated with a variety of animal diseases, active research in the field of human retroviruses dates from the discovery of human immunodefici ency virus (HIV) in association with acquired immunodefici ency syndrome (AIDS). The enormous research efforts in this field have been directed toward understanding the nature of the virus and toward its elimination through preventive vaccin ation and the cure of the disease. Human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-l) was the first member of the human retrovirus family to be discovered. It was implicated as the cause of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) even before the association of HIV and AIDS was established. Research on HTL V -1 has, however, been lagging behind that of HIV because of the importance of AIDS. Today HTLV-1 and possibly closely related HTLV-2 are associated with a variety of human neurologic diseases, and research activities in this field may show that human retroviruses can cause a variety of human diseases in addition to those affecting the nervous system. Papers in this volume attempt to acquaint the reader with the present state of research into retrovirus infection and related diseases of the nervous system.

List of Contents

I. Animal Retrovirus Infections of the Nervous System
Genetic Resistance to a Retroviral Neurologic Disease in Wild Mice
Wild Mouse Retrovirus: Pathogenesis
Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus Temperature-Sensitive Mutants: A Model for Retrovirus-Induced Neurologic Disorders
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Lentivirus Transmission and Disease
Retroviral Infections of the CNS of Nonhuman Primates
II. Human Retrovirus Infections of the Nervous System
Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1 Infections of the Nervous System
Neurological Disorders Associated with HTLV-1
An HTLV-1 Transgenic Mouse Model: Role of the Tax Gene in Pathogenesis in Multiple Organ Systems
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infections of the Nervous System
Using Synthetic Peptide Reagents to Distinguish Infections Caused by Different HIV Strains
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection of the CNS: Characterization of "Neurotropic" Strains
Human Immunodeficiency Virus: Infection of the Nervous System.