NEWLY RECOGNIZED VIRUS-ASSOCIATED WITH A FATAL CASE OF HANTAVIRUS PULMONARY SYNDROME IN LOUISIANA

Genetic analysis of virus detected in autopsy tissues of a fatal hanta virus pulmonary syndrome-like case in Louisiana revealed the presence of a previously unrecognized hantavirus. Nucleotide sequence analysis of PCR fragments of the complete S and M segments of the virus amplifi ed from RNA extracted from the tissues showed the virus to be novel, d iffering from the closest related hantavirus, Sin Nombre virus, by app roximately 30%. Both genome segments were unique, and there was no evi dence of genetic reassortment with previously characterized hantavirus es. The primary rodent reservoir of Sin Nombre virus, the deer mouse P eromyscus maniculatus, is absent from Louisiana. Thus, the virus detec ted in Louisiana, referred to here as Bayou virus, must possess a diff erent rodent reservoir.