Ocozocoautla de espinosa virus and hemorrhagic fever, Mexico

Abstract

Arenavirus RNA was isolated from Mexican deer mice (Peromyscus mexicanus) captured near the site of a 1967 epidemic of hemorrhagic fever in southern Mexico. Analyses of nucleotide and amino acid sequence data indicated that the deer mice were infected with a novel Tacaribe serocomplex virus (proposed name Ocozocoautla de Espinosa virus), which is phylogenetically closely related to Tacaribe serocomplex viruses that cause hemorrhagic fever in humans in South America.

Figure 1

Chiapas (CHP) and surrounding states in southern Mexico. The star indicates where the rodents in this study were captured; the solid circle indicates the location of the hospital that provided care for the persons affected by hemorrhagic fever in the 1967 epidemic (17). Inset shows the location of CHP in Mexico. CAM, Campeche; OAX, Oaxaca; TAB, Tabasco; VER, Veracruz.

Figure 2

Phylogenetic relationships among Tacaribe serocomplex viruses from the United States, Mexico, and South America, as determined on the basis of Bayesian analyses of A) full-length glycoprotein precursor gene sequences and B) full-length nucleocapsid protein gene sequences. Arenavirus AV B1030026 is shown in boldface. Scale bars indicate nucleotide substitutions per site. Probability values in support of the clades were calculated a posteriori, clades with probability values >0.95 were considered supported by the data (20), and asterisks at nodes indicate that clades were supported by the data. LCMV, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, strain WE (GenBank accession no. M22138); WWAV, Whitewater Arroyo virus, AV 9310135 (AF228063); SKTV, Skinner Tank virus, AV D1000090 (EU123328); TTCV, Tonto Creek virus, AV D0150144 (EF619033); BBTV, Big Brushy Tank virus, AV D0390174 (EF619035); CTNV, Catarina virus, AV A0400135 (DQ865244); RCTV, Real de Catorce virus, AV H0030026 (GQ903697); BCNV, Bear Canyon virus, AV A0070039 (AY924391); TAMV, Tamiami virus, W 10777 (AF512828); AMAV, Amaparí virus, BeAn 70563 (AF512834); GTOV, Guanarito virus, INH-95551 (AY129247); CPXV, Cupixi virus, BeAn 119303 (AF512832); arenavirus AV B1030026 (JN897398); TCRV, Tacaribe virus, TRVL 11573 (M20304); JUNV, Junín virus, XJ13 (AY358023); MACV, Machupo virus, Carvallo (AY129248); SABV, Sabiá virus, SPH 114202 (U41071); CHPV, Chaparé virus, 200001071 (EU260463); ALLV, Allpahuayo virus CLHP-2472 (AY012687); PICV, Pichindé virus, Co An 3739 (K02734); PIRV, Pirital virus, VAV-488 (AF485262); PARV, Paraná virus, 12056 (AF485261); FLEV, Flexal virus, BeAn 293022 (AF512831); LATV, Latino virus, MARU 10924 (AF512830); OLVV, Oliveros virus, 3229–1 (U34248). Locations: NM, New Mexico; AZ, Arizona; TX, Texas; MX·SLP, San Luis Potosí, Mexico; CA, California; FL, Florida; BRA, Brazil; VEN, Venezuela; MX·CHP, state of Chiapas Mexico; TRI, Trinidad; ARG, Argentina; BOL, Bolivia; PER, Peru; COL, Colombia. LCMV, the prototypic member of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis–Lassa (Old World) serocomplex, was the designated outgroup in the analyses.