As are the hantaviruses, each arenavirus is principally associated with rodents of a single or a very few species, thus the basis for their geographic distributions. An unusual exception may be Tacaribe virus, which has been isolated from bats and mosquitoes.
Most New World arenaviruses are not known to cause human illnesses but others cause severe illnesses: Machupo virus (Bolivian hemorrhagic fever), Junin virus (Argentine hemorrhagic fever), Guanarito virus (Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever), Sabia virus (Brazilian hemorrhagic fever), and Chapare virus.
Lassa virus has been shown to cause severe, often fatal, hemorrhagic fevers in human in a wide area of West Africa.
It is now recognized that this virus causes numerous illnesses each year. It will be enlightening when we have news of the identity of the viruses causing these illnesses in Zambia, and now in South Africa.
The investigations are in the hands of the world's most competent people for such studies, Dr. Robert Swanepoel of South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases and collaborating investigators at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Therefore, definitive information regarding whether this is a hitherto unrecognized arenavirus or a variant of a recognized arenavirus should be forthcoming relatively soon. Meanwhile, clinical practices to control further spread should suffice.
If the etiologic agent is in fact an arenavirus, ribavirin is presently used for the treatment of Lassa fever.
Absolutely fascinating. Thank you.
Thanks for the ping. At least we know what it is. Lassa fever’s pretty nasty stuff and its cousin sounds even nastier. BTT.
Thank you, Mother Abigail.
Ping.
One of the very few times a man can count his blessings to have kidney stones.
Thanks for the update ping.