Itaya virus, a novel orthobunyavirus associated with human febrile illness, Peru

Robert D. Hontz, Carolina Guevara, Eric S. Halsey, Jesus Silvas, Felix W. Santiago, Steven G. Widen, Thomas G. Wood, Wilma Casanova, Nikos Vasilakis, Douglas M. Watts, Tadeusz J. Kochel, Hideki Ebihara, Patricia V. Aguilar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Our genetic analyses of uncharacterized bunyaviruses isolated in Peru identified a possible reassortant virus containing small and large gene segment sequences closely related to the Caraparu virus and a medium gene segment sequence potentially derived from an unidentified group C orthobunyavirus. Neutralization tests confirmed serologic distinction among the newly identified virus and the prototype and Caraparu strains. This virus, named Itaya, was isolated in 1999 and 2006 from febrile patients in the cities of Iquitos and Yurimaguas in Peru. The geographic distance between the 2 cases suggests that the Itaya virus could be widely distributed throughout the Amazon basin in northeastern Peru. Identification of a new Orthobunyavirus species that causes febrile disease in humans reinforces the need to expand viral disease surveillance in tropical regions of South America.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)781-788
Number of pages8
JournalEmerging infectious diseases
Volume21
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Epidemiology
  • Microbiology (medical)
  • Infectious Diseases

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