Arenavirus variations due to host-specific adaptation
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Updated: May 14, 2026

Highly Sensitive Assay for Measurement of Arenavirus-cell Attachment
Published on: March 2, 2016
Juan C Zapata1, Maria S Salvato
1Institute of Human Virology-School of Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. jczapata@ihv.umaryland.edu
Abstract:
Arenavirus particles are enveloped and contain two single-strand RNA genomic segments with ambisense coding. Genetic plasticity of the arenaviruses comes from transcription errors, segment reassortment, and permissive genomic packaging, and results in their remarkable ability, as a group, to infect a wide variety of hosts. In this review, we discuss some in vitro studies of virus genetic and phenotypic variation after exposure to selective pressures such as high viral dose, mutagens and antivirals. Additionally, we discuss the variation in vivo of selected isolates of Old World arenaviruses, particularly after infection of different animal species. We also discuss the recent emergence of new arenaviruses in the context of our observations of sequence variations that appear to be host-specific.
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