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A substantial risk in using live attenuated, multiply deleted viruses as vaccines against AIDS is their potential to induce AIDS. A mutant of the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) with large deletions in nef and vpr and in the negative regulatory element induced AIDS in six of eight infant macaques vaccinated orally or intravenously. Early signs of immune dysfunction were seen in the remaining two offspring. Prolonged follow-up of sixteen vaccinated adult macaques also showed resurgence of chronic viremia in four animals: two of these developed early signs of disease and one died of AIDS. We conclude that this multiply deleted SIV is pathogenic and that human AIDS vaccines built on similar prototypes may cause AIDS.

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