DESCRIPTION OF GUANARITO VIRUS (ARENAVIRIDAE, ARENAVIRUS), THE ETIOLOGIC AGENT OF VENEZUELAN HEMORRHAGIC-FEVER

This paper characterizes Guanarito virus, the etiologic agent of Venez uelan hemorrhagic fever. Based on its morphology and antigenic propert ies, Guanarito virus appears to be a new member of the Tacaribe comple x of the genus Arenavirus, family Arenaviridae. Complement fixation an d indirect fluorescent antibody tests showed that Guanarito virus and its antiserum are broadly cross-reactive with other members of the Tac aribe complex, but it can be differentiated from other members of the complex by neutralization test. Guanarito virus causes mortality in su ckling mice and adult guinea pigs, but not in adult mice. Inoculated r hesus monkeys developed viremia and became ill; however, they subseque ntly recovered and responded with production of antibody. To date, all isolates of Guanarito virus have come from sick persons or wild roden ts living within a single geographic focus in the central plains of Ve nezuela.