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Bear Canyon virus: an arenavirus naturally associated with the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus)

Charles F Fulhorst1, Stephen G Bennett, Mary L Milazzo

  • 1Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, 77888-0609, USA. cfulhors@utmb.edu

Emerging Infectious Diseases
|July 4, 2002
PubMed

Insights

A novel arenavirus, Bear Canyon virus, was discovered in California mice, expanding knowledge of North American rodent-borne viruses. This finding provides the first evidence linking the Arenaviridae family to the Peromyscus genus in this region.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Zoonotic Diseases
  • Mammalogy

Background:

  • Arenaviruses are RNA viruses known to infect rodents and cause disease in humans.
  • Limited knowledge exists regarding arenaviruses indigenous to the western United States.
  • The Tacaribe serocomplex viruses were previously known only from the eastern United States.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate arenaviruses in rodents from southern California.
  • To characterize novel arenavirus isolates found in this region.
  • To determine the phylogenetic relationship of new isolates to known arenaviruses.

Main Methods:

  • Rodent trapping and sample collection in southern California.
  • Isolation and cultivation of infectious arenaviruses from rodent tissues.
  • Analysis of viral nucleocapsid protein gene sequences for phylogenetic classification.

Main Results:

  • An infectious arenavirus was isolated from 5 of 27 California mice (Peromyscus californicus).
  • Sequence data identified the isolates as strains of a novel Tacaribe serocomplex virus, proposed name "Bear Canyon virus".
  • Bear Canyon virus is phylogenetically closest to Whitewater Arroyo and Tamiami viruses.

Conclusions:

  • This study provides the first evidence of a Tacaribe serocomplex virus occurring in California.
  • The discovery confirms a natural association between the Arenaviridae family and the rodent genus Peromyscus.
  • Bear Canyon virus represents a significant addition to the known arenaviruses in North America.

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