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We conducted a development and standardization of an IgG ELISA assay for serological detection of human orthohantavirus infections using the recombinant antigen rLECH13 produced in bacterial and derived from the LECHV. The evaluation and standardization were carried out by analyzing serum samples from a total of 50 patients with confirmed Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) diagnosis through the reference technique, 50 negative sera, and 53 patients with other medical conditions. The data from the assay analysis showed a diagnostic sensitivity value of 95% and a diagnostic specificity of 80%. The high sensitivity of this novel assay leads us to conclude that rLECH13 is a feasible option for use in the immunodiagnostic of orthohantavirus infection. Additionally, it is crucial to have an antigen that can be produced under conditions that do not require highly complex laboratories. Furthermore, the new assay is cost-effective, reproducible, and demonstrates excellent performance., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia.)

Following an Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever (AHF) outbreak in the early 1990s, a rodent survey for Junín virus, a New World Clade B arenavirus, in endemic areas of Argentina was conducted. Since 1990, INEVH has been developing eco-epidemiological surveillance of rodents, inside and outside the Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever endemic area. Samples from rodents captured between 1993 and 2019 that were positive for Arenavirus infection underwent Sanger and unbiased, Illumina-based high-throughput sequencing, which yielded 5 complete and 88 partial Mammarenaviruses genomes. Previously, 11 genomes representing four species of New World arenavirus Clade C existed in public records. This work has generated 13 novel genomes, expanding the New World arenavirus Clade C to 24 total genomes. Additionally, two genomes exhibit sufficient genetic diversity to be considered a new species, as per ICTV guidelines (proposed name Mammarenavirus vellosense ). The 13 novel genomes exhibited reassortment between the small and large segments in New World Mammarenaviruses . This work demonstrates that Clade C Mammarenavirus infections circulate broadly among Necromys species in the Argentine Hemorrhagic Fever endemic area; however, the risk for Clade C Mammarenavirus human infection is currently unknown.

Alterations of ecosystems have deep effects on the distribution of parasites. Big cities of Argentina present structural features that favor the presence of synanthropic species, acting as source of zoonotic diseases, for example in urban rodents: the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the black rat (R. rattus). One of the important zoonotic pathogens related are the RNA virus Hantavirus, with high prevalence rates in South America. The aim of this study was to explore and identify the presence of Hantavirus in urban rodents from Gran La Plata, Argentina. The presence of anti-hantavirus IgG antibodies was determined by the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Six samples turned out positive for Seoul virus (SEOV, p = 14.3%). These are the first records of SEOV in urban rodents in Gran La Plata. It represents the first report in R. rattus in Argentina, and in America. This situation underscores the inequality and historical forgetfulness of a portion of society, calling for urgent action to be taken in this regard., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors reported no potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

We describe an outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Burruyacú Department, Province of Tucumán. The detection in 2016 of a case of hantavirosis affecting a 23-year-old woman, considered at that time to be the first case occurred in that province, promoted a thorough epidemiological study. The investigation allowed the retrospective detection of another case occurred one month earlier in a 5-year-old child in the same Department. In both cases, the infection was confirmed by serology (case 1 at days 4 and 7 of disease onset, case 2 at day 4) and the viral genotype was characterized as HU39694. The contacts of both cases were serologically negative for hantavirus. The rodents captured in the area belonged to genus Akodon, genus Calomys and species Mus musculus. Oligoryzomys, the known reservoir for this viral genotype, was not found. Specific anti-hantavirus antibodies were not detected in the captured rodents. Given that the patients had not visited hantavirus endemic areas and their contacts were negative for hantavirus, we infer that the patients were locally exposed to fluids of infected rodents during their usual social or recreational outdoor activities. In conclusion, we demonstrate that hantavirus HU39694 -a genotype until now considered to be restricted to the Central Pampas of the country- is circulating in the North Western province of Tucumán. The endemic area of hantavirosis is thus expanded to this province but the viral reservoir in the area has not yet been identified.