Publication details
Arenaviruses and hantaviruses in small mammals of Eastern Africa
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2013 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
| Citation | |
| Description | Arenaviruses and hantaviruses are enveloped single-stranded RNA viruses, whose primary hosts are rodents and to a lesser extent soricomorphs and bats. Some representatives are important pathogens of humans and may cause serious health problems. The data about the diversity and distribution of these viruses in some regions are limited, especially in developing countries, where the risk of human infection is considerable and rodents have a major public health relevance. In this study we screened a comprehensive collection of rodent and soricomorph samples (dried blood and kidney) from Eastern Africa (Tanzania, Mozambique, Kenya, Ethiopia, DR Congo and Zambia) to investigate the presence of hanta- and arenaviruses. Among 3465 tested individuals, we detected new strains of Mobala and Mopeia arenaviruses from 4 host species in Ethiopia, Mozambique, DR Congo and Tanzania. Hantavirus-positive samples were found only in Ethiopia, from where we described a novel hantavirus, Tigray, hosted by the Ethiopian endemic rodent Stenocephalemys albipes. |