Holzammer S, Holznagel E, Kaul A, Kurth R, Norley S (2001): High virus loads in naturally and experimentally SIVagm-infected African green monkeys
Virology 283: 324-331.

A quantitative RT-PCR assay was developed for SIV_agm and was used to measure the levels of viral RNA in the plasma of experimentally and naturally infected African green monkeys. The number of productively infected PBMCs and the number of cells carrying integrated provirus were also measured. Plasma virus loads in experimentally infected animals peaked at 2 weeks postinfection, ranging from 2.9 x 10⁵ to 4.2 x 10⁷ RNA copies/ml plasma. Set points of 2.1 x 10³ to 2.8 x 10⁶ RNA copies/ml plasma were maintained for one year. Similarly, the number of cells carrying integrated SIV_agm provirus remained relatively stable in individual animals for one year with set points ranging from 73 to 810 proviral copies per 10⁶ PBMC. However, the number of productively infected cells fluctuated considerably during this period. Virus loads in the 26 naturally infected AGMs ranged from 8.3 x 10³ to 1.1 x 10⁷ (mean 1.7 x 10⁶) RNA copies/ml plasma. These levels of viremia are similar to those seen in pathogenic systems (HIV-1, SIV_mac), indicating that control of SIV_agm replication is not the reason for the natural host's resistance to disease progression.