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ARENAVIRUSES
In 1969, one of the most infamous arenaviruses made headlines. A mission nurse in Lassa, Nigeria, died of a mysterious illness. Soon after, a nurse who had attended her also died. A third nurse who had assisted the autopsy became ill and recovered only after intensive care in the United States. Virologists at Yale University isolated a virus from her blood, but exposure to this virus left several investigators extremely ill. One laboratory technician later died. The causative agent was named Lassa virus. Lassa virus and some of its companion arenaviruses continue to cause disease in humans across the globe. Read on to learn more about these dangerous pathogens.
Properties of Arenaviridae
Classification and Taxonomy
- THE FAMILY ARENAVIRIDAE COMPRISES A SINGLE GENUS, ARENAVIRUS,
IN WHICH TWO SEROTYPES ARE RECOGNIZED (Location of isolation listed in parentheses)- 1-LCMV-LASV complex (Old World arenaviruses):
- 2-Tacaribe complex (New world arenaviruses):
Amapari virus (Brazil)
Flexal virus (Brazil)
Guanarito virus (Venezuela)
Junin virus (Argentina)
Machupo virus (Bolivia-Beni region)
Parana virus (Paraguay)
Pichinde virus (Colombia)
Tacaribe virus (Trinidad)
Sabia (Brazil)
Latino (Bolivia)
Oliveros (Argentina)
Pirital (Venezuela)
Whitewater (New Mexico)
Tamiami virus (Florida)
Human Arenaviruses and the Diseases They Cause
The Unique Property ofAmbisense
Prevention (Prepared by McMaster University Faculty of Science)
Vaccination (Prepared by McMaster University Faculty of Science)
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Created: February 1, 1998
Last modified: March 15, 1998