Itaya virus, a Novel Orthobunyavirus Associated with Human Febrile Illness, Peru.

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

doi:10.3201/eid2105.141368

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.

Highlights

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
Identification of IQT9646 as a Novel Reassortant Orthobunyavirus In 1999, the virus strain IQT9646 was isolated from a 25-year-old male febrile patient who resided in Belen, Iquitos, Peru
We sought to obtain the complete sequences of the S, M, and L segments using an unbiased sequencing approach, phylogenetic analyses to determine the relationship of the IQT9646 isolate to other viruses within the Orthobunyavirus genus

Summary

Introduction

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. Since 1999, the US Naval Medical Research Unit No 6 (NAMRU-6) in Lima, Peru, has collaborated with the Peruvian Ministry of Health to investigate the etiology of febrile illnesses in Peru and greater Latin America [9] As part of these activities, >54 orthobunyaviruses, including group C, Guaroa, Maguari, and Oropouche viruses, were isolated, and some have been genetically characterized in an effort to understand their relationships to other strains identified in South America [8,11,12]. These efforts have already resulted in identification of Iquitos virus as a proposed reassortant bunyavirus in the Simbu serogroup that causes febrile illness in Peru [8]

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