Experimental infection of Neotoma albigula (Muridae) with Whitewater Arroyo virus (Arenaviridae)

The Whitewater Arroyo virus (WWA) is a newly described North American arena virus. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the biology of this virus in its natural rodent host, Neotoma albigula (white-throated woodrat). Thi rteen adult, 7 juvenile, and 8 newborn woodrats each were inoculated subcut aneously with 1,000 cell culture infectious dose(50) of the WWA virus proto type strain AV 9310135. All 28 animals became infected (as measured by the recovery of infectious virus and/or seroconversion) and no overt illness wa s associated with infection. Infection and virus shedding in the adult anim als were transient (less than 59 days) whereas virus shedding in animals in oculated at birth persisted through 164 days of age. These results indicate that the duration of WWA virus infection in N. albigula is dependent upon the animal's age at the onset of infection and that neonatal infection can result in chronic (perhaps lifelong) virus shedding.