Tracing Transmission of Sin Nombre Virus and Discovery of Infection in Multiple Rodent Species
Samuel M. Goodfellow, Robert A. Nofchissey, Kurt C. Schwalm, Joseph A. Cook, Jonathan L. Dunnum, Yan Guo, Chunyan Ye, Gregory J. Mertz, Kartik Chandran, Michelle Harkins, Daryl B. Domman, Darrell L. Dinwiddie, Steven B. Bradfute
Abstract
Orthohantaviruses cause severe disease in humans and can be lethal in up to 40% of cases. Sin Nombre orthohantavirus (SNV) is the main cause of hantavirus disease in North America. In this study, we sequenced SNV from an infected patient and wild-caught rodents to trace the location of infection. We also discovered SNV in rodent species not previously known to carry SNV. These studies demonstrate for the first time the use of virus sequencing to trace the transmission of SNV and describe infection in novel rodent species.