Serologic Evidence of Mammarenaviruses among Wild Rodents in Brazil (original) (raw)

Mammarenaviruses of Rodents, South Africa and Zimbabwe

Emerging Infectious Diseases

I n response to the emergence of Lassa fever, Marburg virus, and Ebola virus in Africa, a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory was constructed at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, and became operational in 1980 (1). To establish which known viral hemorrhagic fevers in Africa occurred in South Africa and neighboring countries, antibody surveys were conducted on selected human, livestock, and wild animal populations. Findings for Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever were reported (2,3), but subsequent engagement of the laboratory in the investigation of a series of hemorrhagic fever outbreaks in Africa led to the suspension of survey publication. We present the results of a survey of 5,363 rodents for evidence of infection with mammarenaviruses and details of the isolation of mammarenaviruses from seropositive species. This project was undertaken with approval of the Ethics Committee of the National Institute for Virology, subsequently incorporated into NICD. Materials and Methods Viruses, Antigens, Antiserum, and Antibody Tests We prepared antigen slides to screen for groupspecifi c antibody activity to mammarenaviruses by indirect immunofl uorescence (IF) with Mopeia virus (MOPV) AN20410 and Lassa virus (LASV) Josiah (Table 1) grown in Vero 76 cells as described previously (4). The tests were performed with commercially available antimouse immunoglobulin fl uorescein conjugate or recombinant protein A/G conjugate (both ThermoFisher Scientifi c, https:// www.thermofi sher.com) for nonmyomorph species. Polyclonal control antiserum was prepared by intraperitoneal inoculation of mice with live virus and exsanguination 6 weeks later. We screened serum specimens at dilutions of 1:8 and 1:16, titrated positive samples to endpoint, and confi rmed the result by ELISA with MOPV antigen. Cell lysate antigen for the ELISA was prepared and assays conducted as described previously for Ebola virus (5), by using antimouse horseradish peroxidase-conjugated IgG (SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc., https://www.seracare.com). In the absence of control data, we recorded reactions as positive where the net optical density of test serum specimens at 1:100 was >2.5 times the mean optical density of a panel of serum specimens from specifi c pathogenfree laboratory mice. Monoclonal antibodies to LASV and MOPV were obtained from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; Atlanta, GA,

Absence of Mammarenavirus RNA among their Natural Rodent and Potential other Reservoirs in Wildlife in Gabon

Open access journal of biomedical science, 2022

Viruses of the family Arenaviridae are enveloped viruses with a genome consisting of two single-stranded RNA segments, designated small (S) and large (L). The family is divided into three genera: Mammarenavirus which have rodents and bats as natural reservoirs; Hartmanivirus and Reptarenavirus [1] ABSTRACT LCMV RNA has been detected both in its natural host reservoir, the house mouse Mus musculus, and other rodent species in Gabon. In addition, many pathogenic and nonpathogenic Mammarenavirus reservoirs are also present in the country; suggesting that other arenaviruses should be present together with new virus hosts. Considering the importance of rodent-born arenaviruses for human health, we look for the presence of these viruses in rodents, bats and bushmeats collected in the entire Gabonese territory. Here we failed to detect arenaviruses RNA in all the tested samples. This absence can be explained by several hypotheses: (i) the geographical hypothesis, (ii) the genetic structure of the host that can impact viral distribution, (iii) the relationship between host density and the presence of the virus, (iv) the dilution effect, and (v) the detection method used. To get more information about the circulation of arenaviruses and their host reservoirs in Gabon, it is necessary to both enrich collected animals and make additional analyses. The enrichment is related to the increased number and diversity of animal species and the extension of the collection to all periods of the year. Additional analyses should be: (i) the use of complementary specific multiplex systems of PCR targeting both segments of arenaviruses, (ii) serological analyses and Whole Genome Sequencing technologies.

A Retrospective Survey of Rodent-borne Viruses in Rural Populations of Brazilian Amazon

Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical

Introduction: The Amazon tropical rainforest has the most dense and diverse ecosystem worldwide. A few studies have addressed rodent-borne diseases as potential hazards to humans in this region. Methods: A retrospective survey was conducted using enzymelinked immunosorbent assay for detecting mammarenavirus and orthohantavirus antibodies in 206 samples collected from rural settlers of the Brazilian Western Amazonian region. Results: Six (2.91%) individuals in the age group of 16 to 36 years were found to possess antibodies against mammarenavirus. Conclusion: Evidence of previous exposure to mammarenavirus in the rural population points to its silent circulation in this region.

Detection of Latino Virus (Arenaviridae: Mammarenavirus) Naturally Infecting Calomys Callidus

Acta tropica, 2017

Mammarenavirus species are associated with a specific rodent host species, although an increasing number of virus has been associated to more than one host, suggesting that co-evolution is less robust than initially thought. There are few eco-epidemiological studies of South America mammarenaviruses in non-endemic areas of Arenavirus Hemorrhagic Fever, affecting specially our current knowledge about animal reservoirs and virus range and host-virus relations. In Brazil, seven arenavirus species were described in seven different rodent species. Here in we describe a new rodent reservoir species in Brazil related to the previously described Latino mammarenavirus (LATV) MARU strain. Samples of 148 rodents from Mato Grosso state, Brazil were analyzed. Amplification of the glycoprotein precursor gene (GPC) was observed in six Calomys callidus rodents. According to phylogenetic inferences, is observed a well-supported monophyletic clade of LATV from C. callidus and other Clade C mammarenav...

Xapuri virus, a novel mammarenavirus: natural reassortment and increased diversity between New World viruses

Emerging microbes & infections, 2018

Mammarenavirus RNA was detected in Musser's bristly mouse (Neacomys musseri) from the Amazon region, and this detection indicated that rodents were infected with a novel mammarenavirus, with the proposed name Xapuri virus (XAPV), which is phylogenetically related to New World Clade B and Clade C viruses. XAPV may represent the first natural reassortment of the Arenaviridae family and a new unrecognized clade within the Tacaribe serocomplex group.

Serological Evidence of Multiple Zoonotic Viral Infections among Wild Rodents in Barbados

Pathogens, 2021

Background: Rodents are reservoirs for several zoonotic pathogens that can cause human infectious diseases, including orthohantaviruses, mammarenaviruses and orthopoxviruses. Evidence exists for these viruses circulating among rodents and causing human infections in the Americas, but much less evidence exists for their presence in wild rodents in the Caribbean. Methods: Here, we conducted serological and molecular investigations of wild rodents in Barbados to determine the prevalence of orthohantavirus, mammarenavirus and orthopoxvirus infections, and the possible role of these rodent species as reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens. Using immunofluorescent assays (IFA), rodent sera were screened for the presence of antibodies to orthohantavirus, mammarenavirus (Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus—LCMV) and orthopoxvirus (Cowpox virus—CPXV) infections. RT-PCR was then conducted on orthohantavirus and mammarenavirus-seropositive rodent sera and tissues, to detect the presence of viral RNA....

Rodent-borne viruses survey in rural settlers from Central Brazil

Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, 2018

Anthropogenic environmental changes arising from settlement and agriculture include deforestation and replacement of natural vegetation by crops providing opportunities for pathogen spillover from animals to humans. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of rodent-borne virus infections in seven rural settlements from Midwestern Brazil. Of the 466 individuals tested 12 (2.57%) were reactive for orthohantavirus and 3 (0.64%) for mammarenavirus. These rural settlers lived under unfavorable infrastructure, socioeconomic disadvantages, and unsanitary conditions, representing a risk for rodent-borne infections. Development of public policies towards the improvement of health, sanitation and awareness of rodent-borne diseases in improvised camps and settlements is imperative, in order to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by these diseases.