Genetic diversity of hantaviruses isolated in China and characterization of novel hantaviruses isolated from Niviventer confucianus and Rattus rattus

The antigenic and genetic properties of 46 hantaviruses from China, 13 from patients, 23 from rodents, and 10 from unknown hosts, were compared with t hose of other hantaviruses. The viruses were classified as either Hantaan ( HTN) or Seoul (SEO) viruses. A phylogenetic analysis of the partial M (300 bp) and S (around 485 bp) genomes of HTN viruses identified nine distinct g enetic subtypes, one consisting of isolates from Korea. The SEC viruses wer e divided into five genetic subtypes, although they had less variability th an the HTN subtypes. There was a correlation between the subtype and provin ce of origin for four subtypes of HTN viruses, confirming geographical clus tering. Hantaan virus NC167 isolated from Niviventer confucianus and SEO vi rus Gou3 isolated from Rattus rattus were the basal clades in each virus. T he phylogenetic trees constructed from the entire S and M segments suggeste d that NC167 was introduced to N. confucianus in a host-switching event. Th e reactivity of a panel of 35 monoclonal antibodies was almost exactly the same in NC167 and a representative HTN virus and in Gou3 and a representati ve SEC virus. However. there was a one-way cross-neutralization between the m. These results confirm the varied nature of Murinae-associated hantavirus es in China. (C) 2000 Academic Press.