GENETIC IDENTIFICATION OF A NEW PUUMALA VIRUS-STRAIN CAUSING SEVERE HEMORRHAGIC-FEVER WITH RENAL SYNDROME IN GERMANY

A severe case of suspected hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS ) was recently identified in northwestern Germany. A genetic detection assay was designed that identified hantavirus-specific RNA in the pat ient's clinical specimens by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain re action amplification of virus S and M genome segments. Phylogenetic an alysis of the nucleotide sequences demonstrated that this virus belong ed to the Puumala (PUU) group, with the closest relationship to a PUU isolate from Finland. Within the group, this virus formed a separate l ineage, This finding represents the first genetic characterization of a hantavirus causing severe HFRS in Germany. The data suggest that PUU viruses circulating in western European countries are genetically dis tinct from their northeastern counterparts. Comparison of deduced amin o acid sequences demonstrated a loss of a potential N-glycosylation si te in the G2 protein compared with other PUU viruses.