Transmission of Black Creek Canal virus between cotton rats

Black Creek Canal (BCC) virus is a hantavirus associated with hantavirus pu lmonary syndrome in southeastern North America. The virus was isolated from the spleen of a cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus) trapped in southern Florida . Our previous studies have shown that we could consistently infect male co tton rats with BCC virus in the laboratory. These animals became persistent ly infected and virus could be detected in salivary glands, urine, and fece s. In this report we show: (1) female and male cotton rats are equally susc eptible to BCC virus infection, (2) susceptibility to infection was not inf luenced by age, (3) all inoculated rats transmitted the infection to uninoc ulated cage mates, and (4) offspring of infected rats became infected despi te the presence of high maternal antibodies. The course of BCC virus infect ion, as determined by antibody response and the ability to isolate or detec t virus, appeared to be similar regardless of whether the rats obtained the ir infection by inoculation or contact with inoculated rats. J. Med. Virol. 60:70-76, 2000. Published 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.dagger.