TULA VIRUS - A NEWLY DETECTED HANTAVIRUS CARRIED BY EUROPEAN COMMON VOLES

A novel hantavirus has been discovered in European common voles, Micro tus arvalis and Microtus rossiaemeridionalis. According to sequencing data for the genomic RNA S segment and nucleocapsid protein and data o btained by immunoblotting with a panel of monoclonal antibodies, the v irus, designated Tula virus, is a distinct novel member of the genus H antavirus. Phylogenetic analyses of Tula virus indicate that it is mos t closely related to Prospect Hill, Puumala, and Muerto Canyon viruses . The results support the view that the evolution of hantaviruses foll ows that of their primary carriers. Comparison of strains circulating within a local rodent population revealed a genetic drift via accumula tion of base substitutions and deletions or insertions. The Tula virus population from individual animals is represented by quasispecies, in dicating the potential for rapid evolution of the agent.