title: High diversity and ancient common ancestry of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.
abstract: Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is the prototype of the family Arenaviridae. LCMV can be associated with severe disease in humans, and its global distribution reflects the broad dispersion of the primary rodent reservoir, the house mouse (Mus musculus). Recent interest in the natural history of the virus has been stimulated by increasing recognition of LCMV infections during pregnancy, and in clusters of LCMV-associated fatal illness among tissue transplant recipients. Despite its public health importance, little is known regarding the genetic diversity or distribution of virus variants. Genomic analysis of 29 LCMV strains collected from a variety of geographic and temporal sources showed these viruses to be highly diverse. Several distinct lineages exist, but there is little correlation with time or place of isolation. Bayesian analysis estimates the most recent common ancestor to be 1,000-5,000 years old, and this long history is consistent with complex phylogeographic relationships of the extant virus isolates.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. calbarino@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Cesar G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Albariño
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palacios
authors.forename: Marina L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Khristova
authors.forename: Bobbie R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: Serena A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Comer
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Briese
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: St George
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Ksiazek
authors.forename: W Ian
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Lipkin
authors.forename: Stuart T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Nichol
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice / Q000821:virology; D008875:Middle Aged