Genetic diversity and epidemiology of hantaviruses in Argentina

Fil: Levis, Silvana. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Morzunov, Sergey P. University of Nevada at Reno. Department of Microbiology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Rowe, Joan E. University of Nevada at Reno. Department of Microbiology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Enria, Delia. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Pini, Noemí. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Calderon, Gladys. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Sabattini, Marta. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: St Jeor, Stephen C. University of Nevada at Reno. Department of Microbiology; Estados Unidos.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

Genetic diversity of the Junin virus in Argentina: geographic and temporal patterns

Fil: García, Jorge B. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Morzunov, Sergey P. University of Nevada at Reno. Department of Microbiology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Levis, Silvana. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Rowe, Joan. University of Nevada at Reno. Department of Microbiology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Calderón, Gladys. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Enría, Delia. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Sabattini, Marta S. ANLIS Dr.C.G.Malbrán. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas; Argentina.Fil: Buchmeier, M J. Scripps Research Institute. Department of Neuropharmacology; Estados Unidos.Fil: Bowen, M D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Special Pathogens Branch; Estados Unidos.Fil: St Jeor, Stephen C. University of Nevada at Reno. Department of Microbiology; Estados Unidos.RNA was purified from 39 strains of cell-cultured Junin virus (JUN) from central Argentina, which included both human- and rodent-derived isolates (a total of 26 and 13, respectively), as well as from 2 laboratory JUN strains, XJ Cl3 and XJ #44. JUN-specific primers were used to amplify a 511-nucleotide (nt) fragment of the nucleocapsid protein gene and a 495-nt fragment of the glycoprotein 1 (GP1) gene. Genetic diversity among JUN strains studied was up to 13% at the nt level and up to 9% at the amino acid (aa) level for the GP1 gene and up to 9% (nt) and 4% (aa) for the NP gene. Phylogenetic analyses of both genes revealed three distinct clades. The first clade was composed of the JUN strains from the center of the endemic area and included the majority of JUN strains analyzed in the current study. The second clade contained 4 JUN strains isolated between 1963 and 1971 from Cordoba Province, the western-most edge of the known endemic area. The third clade contained 4 JUN strains that originated from Calomys musculinus trapped in Zarate, the northeastern edge of the known endemic area. Certain JUN sequences, which were obtained from GenBank and identified as XJ, XJ #44, and Candid #1 strains, appeared to form a separate clade. Over 400 nt of the GP1 and GP2 genes were additionally sequenced for 7 JUN strains derived from patients with different clinical presentations and outcomes of Argentine hemorrhagic fever. Analysis of the corresponding aa sequences did not allow us to attribute any particular genetic marker to the changing severity or clinical form of the human disease