Novel simian t-cell lymphotropic virus

A method for detecting a simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3 subtype D (STLV-3 subtype D) in a sample, comprising:

• amplifying a STLV-3 subtype D nucleic acid from the sample, using two or more oligonucleotide primers between 15 and 50 nucleotides in length that hybridize under very high stringency conditions to a STLV-3 subtype D nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:
• 1 to produce amplified STLV-3 subtype D nucleic acids;
• and
• detecting the amplified STLV-3 subtype D nucleic acids, wherein the presence of the amplified STLV-3 subtype D nucleic acids indicates the presence of the STLV-3 subtype D virus in the sample.

A method for detecting a simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type 3 West African subtype D (STLV-3 subtype D) virus in a sample, comprising:

• contacting the sample with at least one probe comprising a nucleic acid sequence at least 15 nucleotides in length that hybridizes under very high stringency conditions to a STLV-3 subtype D nucleic acid sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO:
• 1;
• and
• detecting hybridization between the STLV-3 subtype D nucleic acid and the probe, wherein the detection of hybridization indicates the presence of the STLV-3 subtype D virus in the sample.