Genetic characterization of Puumala hantavirus strains from Belgium: evidence for a distinct phylogenetic lineage

Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) sequences were recovered from red bank voles (Cle thrionomys glareolus) trapped between 1996 and 1998 in four localities of s outhern Belgium: Thuin: Montbliart, Momignies and Couvin. In addition, thre e PUUV isolates originating from bank voles trapped in the 1980s in souther n (Montbliart) and northern (Turnhout) Belgium were genetically characteriz ed. Analysis of the complete S and partial M segment sequences showed that the Belgian PUUV strains constitute a genetic lineage, distinct from other known PUUV lineages from Europe and Japan. This lineage also includes a wil d strain (Cg-Erft) originating from a neighbouring area of Germany. Within the Belgian lineage, geographical clustering of genetic variants was observ ed. In the Montbliart site, the range of diversity between the most tempora lly distant strains (from 1986 and 1996-1998) was higher than between those from 1996 and 1998, suggesting slight genetic drift via accumulation of ne utral or quasi-neutral substitutions with time. (C) 2001 Published by Elsev ier Science B.V.