Emerging hantaviruses in Central Argentina: First case of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome caused by Alto Paraguay virus, and a novel orthohantavirus in Scapteromys aquaticus rodent

Abstract

Orthohantaviruses are emerging rodent-borne pathogens that cause Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in humans. They have a wide range of rodent reservoir hosts and are transmitted to humans through aerosolized viral particles generated by the excretions of infected individuals. Since the first description of HPS in Argentina, new hantaviruses have been reported throughout the country, most of which are pathogenic to humans. We present here the first HPS case infected with Alto Paraguay virus reported in Argentina. Until now, Alto Paraguay virus was considered a non-pathogenic orthohantavirus since it was identified in a rodent, Holochilus chacarius. In addition to this, with the goal of identifying potential hantavirus host species in the province of Santa Fe, we finally describe a novel orthohantavirus found in the native rodent Scapteromys aquaticus, which differed from other hantaviruses described in the country so far. Our findings implicate an epidemiological warning regarding these new orthohantaviruses circulating in Central Argentina as well as new rodent species that must be considered as hosts from now on.

A Brief Overview Of Hantavirus Infections

“…18 The presence of these species is unclear and it is unclear whether they are persistently infected or if they are just spilling over infected secondary hosts after contacting the primary host. 19…”

Filling the gaps in the Argentinian distribution of orthohantavirus: First finding of Lechiguanas virus in rodents from Corrientes, Argentina

“…The pathogenic variants are Lechiguanas (LECV), associated with the rodent hosts O. Oligoryzomys flavescens and O. nigripes (Colombo et al, 2019; Hercolini et al, 2018; Rivera et al, 2007; Vadell et al, 2011), and Juquitiba (JUQV) associated with the reservoir O. nigripes (Rivera et al, 2007). The non‐pathogenic orthohantavirus variants are Pergamino (PRGV) associated with Akodon azarae , Maciel (MACV) associated with Bolomys obscurus , and Leyes virus associated with Scapteromys aquaticus (Bellomo et al, 2021; Gómez Villafañe et al, 2022; Levis et al, 1998; Maroli et al, 2018). Recently, Alto Paraguay (ALPV) orthohantavirus has been identified in an HPS case reported in the northernmost edge of the Central East endemic area (Bellomo et al, 2021), indicating the need to continue the study of potential new hosts and to redefine the extension of the endemic zones.…”

“…The non‐pathogenic orthohantavirus variants are Pergamino (PRGV) associated with Akodon azarae , Maciel (MACV) associated with Bolomys obscurus , and Leyes virus associated with Scapteromys aquaticus (Bellomo et al, 2021; Gómez Villafañe et al, 2022; Levis et al, 1998; Maroli et al, 2018). Recently, Alto Paraguay (ALPV) orthohantavirus has been identified in an HPS case reported in the northernmost edge of the Central East endemic area (Bellomo et al, 2021), indicating the need to continue the study of potential new hosts and to redefine the extension of the endemic zones. For this reason, the aim of this study was to search for orthohantavirus in rodent communities inhabiting a previously uninvestigated area delimited by two HPS endemic zones.…”

Mathematical Model of the Spread of Hantavirus Infection

“…In Argentina and Chile, the main reservoirs are found among mice: Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, Abrothrix olivaceus , and Akodon longipilis ; the first of these was found with a more infected population in these two mentioned countries [ 18 ]. It should be noted that in Argentina in 2021 a new reservoir was found, Scapteromys aquaticus , further expanding the diversity of reservoirs [ 19 ]. In Brazil, there are many hantavirus reservoirs; Oligoryzomys nigripi and Necromys lasiurus are some of them [ 20 ].…”