title: Vertebrate Host Susceptibility to Heartland Virus.
abstract: Heartland virus (HRTV) is a recently described phlebovirus initially isolated in 2009 from 2 humans who had leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Serologic assessment of domestic and wild animal populations near the residence of 1 of these persons showed high exposure rates to raccoons, white-tailed deer, and horses. To our knowledge, no laboratory-based assessments of viremic potential of animals infected with HRTV have been performed. We experimentally inoculated several vertebrates (raccoons, goats, chickens, rabbits, hamsters, C57BL/6 mice, and interferon-α/β/γ receptor-deficient [Ag129]) mice with this virus. All animals showed immune responses against HRTV after primary or secondary exposure. However, neutralizing antibody responses were limited. Only Ag129 mice showed detectable viremia and associated illness and death, which were dose dependent. Ag129 mice also showed development of mean peak viral antibody titers >8 log10PFU/mL, hemorrhagic hepatic lesions, splenomegaly, and large amounts of HRTV antigen in mononuclear cells and hematopoietic cells in the spleen.
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Bosco-Lauth
authors.forename: Amanda E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Calvert
authors.forename: J Jeffrey
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Root
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gidlewski
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Bird
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: Atis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muehlenbachs
authors.forename: Sherif R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Zaki
authors.forename: Aaron C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Brault
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing / Q000276:immunology; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D001706:Biopsy; D002044:Bunyaviridae Infections / Q000662:veterinary*; D006224:Cricetinae; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D005260:Female; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009026:Mortality; D016856:Phlebovirus / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011817:Rabbits; D011821:Raccoons; D017471:Receptors, Interferon / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012698:Serologic Tests; D014714:Vertebrates; D014766:Viremia
chemical_list: D057134:Antibodies, Neutralizing; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D017471:Receptors, Interferon
keywords: Ag129 mice; HRTV; Heartland virus; chickens; goats; hamsters; host susceptibility; mice; mouse model; phlebovirus; rabbits; raccoons; vector-borne infections; vertebrates; virulence; viruses; zoonoses