title: Catacamas virus, a hantaviral species naturally associated with Oryzomys couesi (Coues' oryzomys) in Honduras.
abstract: The primary objective of this study was to extend our knowledge of the geographical distribution, genetic diversity, and natural host associations of the hantaviruses indigenous to North America. Antibody to a hantavirus was found in 5 (20.8%) of 24 Coues' oryzomys (Oryzomys couesi) and none of 41 other rodents captured near the town of Catacamas in eastern Honduras, and a hantavirus was isolated from one of the antibody-positive Coues' oryzomys. Analyses of nucleotide and amino acid sequence data indicated that the viral isolate is a strain of a novel hantaviral species (proposed species name "Catacamas virus") that is phylogenetically most closely related to Bayou virus, a hantaviral species that is principally associated with Oryzomys palustris (marsh oryzomys) in the southeastern United States. Catacamas virus is the first evidence for the occurrence of a hantaviral species in Honduras and the first evidence that a hantaviral species is naturally associated with an Oryzomys species other than O. palustris.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555-0609, USA.
authors.forename: Mary L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Milazzo
authors.forename: Maria N B
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cajimat
authors.forename: J Delton
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quintana
authors.forename: Catalina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.forename: Reina T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Velásquez
authors.forename: Charles F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Fulhorst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005843:Geography; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D006721:Honduras; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D016205:Sigmodontinae / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral