Geographic distribution and genetic diversity of Whitewater Arroyo virus in the southwestern United States

The purpose of this study was to extend our knowledge of the geographic distribution and genetic diversity of the arenavirus(es) associated with Neotoma species (woodrats) in the southwestern United States. Infectious arenavirus was recovered from 14 (3.3%) of 425 woodrats. The virus-positive specie...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Emerging infectious diseases 2001-05, Vol.7 (3), p.403-407
Main Authors: Fulhorst, C F, Charrel, R N, Weaver, S C, Ksiazek, T G, Bradley, R D, Milazzo, M L, Tesh, R B, Bowen, M D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
arenavirus
Arenavirus - classification
Arenavirus - genetics
Arenavirus - isolation & purification
Arenaviruses
Genetic aspects
Genetic Variation
Health aspects
Medical geography
Neotoma
Phylogeny
Sigmodontinae - virology
United States
Whitewater Arroyo virus
Wood rats
woodrat
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to extend our knowledge of the geographic distribution and genetic diversity of the arenavirus(es) associated with Neotoma species (woodrats) in the southwestern United States. Infectious arenavirus was recovered from 14 (3.3%) of 425 woodrats. The virus-positive species included N. albigula in New Mexico and Oklahoma, N. cinerea in Utah, N. mexicana in New Mexico and Utah, and N. micropus in Texas. Analyses of viral nucleocapsid protein gene sequence data indicated that all the isolates were strains of the Whitewater Arroyo virus, an arenavirus previously known only from northwestern New Mexico. Analyses of the sequence data also indicated that there can be substantial genetic diversity among strains of Whitewater Arroyo virus from conspecific woodrats collected from different localities and substantial genetic diversity among strains from different woodrat species collected from the same locality.
ISSN:1080-6040
1080-6059
DOI:10.3201/eid0703.017306