HISTOPATHOLOGY OF PEROMYSCUS-LEUCOPUS NATURALLY INFECTED WITH PATHOGENIC NY-1 HANTAVIRUSES - PATHOLOGICAL MARKERS OF HPS VIRAL-INFECTION INMICE

Hantavirus research is impeded by the absence of animal models of vira l pathogenesis. We have studied the histopathology of mice (P. leucopu s) naturally infected with the NY-I hantavirus on Shelter Island, New York. Five mice were determined to be seropositive in Western blotting to Four Corners Virus nucleocapsid protein and had serum antibodies t o Seoul and Puumala hantavirus antigens by immunofluorescence assay. H antavirus gene segments of the NY-I hantavirus were identified in thes e mice and shown to be 99% identical to hantavirus genes isolated from the Rhode Island patient with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. In ultra structural examinations, we identified hantavirus particles in pulmona ry endothelial cells. Morphologically, these mice demonstrate lymphohi stocytic infiltrates in hepatic portal zones and slightly increased nu mbers of immunoblasts in splenic red pulp. Additionally, the alveolar septa in the lungs of infected mice are edematous with hyperplasia of type 1 pneumocytes. Naturally infected P. leucopus may serve as potent ially useful animal models of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome disease.