Mouse-to-human transmission of variant lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus

Abstract

A case of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection led to investigation of the reservoir. LCMV was detected in mice trapped at the patient's home, and 12 isolates were recovered. Genetic analysis showed that human and mouse LCMVs were identical and that this LCMV strain was highly divergent from previously characterized LCMV.

Figure

Phylogenetic tree based on 400-nt sequences amplified by PCR system 1 in the nucleoprotein gene. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) sequences characterized in this study were compared with selected homologous LCMV sequences available in the GenBank database. Sequence information corresponds to virus/nature of specimen/host/GenBank accession no. (optional), except for sequences retrieved from GenBank (virus strain/GenBank accession no.). Sequences determined in this study are in bold type. The 15 sequences determined from mouse material were almost identical and most closely related to LCMV sequence corresponding to the patient cerebrospinal fluid. These 16 sequences were grouped together and were clearly distinct from other LCMV strains included in the study (Armstrong, CH, MX, WE) and from Traub and Pasteur strains (data not shown).