title: Genetic diversity and epidemiology of hantaviruses in Argentina.
abstract: Phylogenetic analysis of a 292-nucleotide (nt) fragment of the hantavirus M genome segment from 36 rodent and 13 human samples from three known foci of hantavirus infection in Argentina was conducted. A 1654-nt fragment of the M genome segment was analyzed for 1 representative of 7 genetically distinct hantavirus lineages identified. Additionally, the nt sequence of the complete M genome segments of Lechiguanas, Oran, and Hu39694 hantavirus genotypes was determined. nt sequence comparisons reveal that 7 hantavirus lineages from Argentina differ from each other by 11.5%-21.8% and from Sin Nombre, Bayou, and Black Creek Canal viruses by 23.8%-26.5%. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that they form a unique, separate branch within the clade containing other New World sigmodontine-borne hantaviruses. Most Oligoryzomys-borne hantavirus genotypes clearly map together. The Oligoryzomys-borne genotypes Lechiguanas, Oran, and Andes appear to be associated with human disease. Oligoryzomys longicaudatus was identified as the likely rodent reservoir for Andes virus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University of Nevada at Reno, 89557, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levis
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Morzunov
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rowe
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Enria
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Calderon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabattini
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: St Jeor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D018804:Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009115:Muridae / Q000821:virology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*