SGER: Identification of ancient Sin Nombre Hantavirus in the Prehistoric Southwest

新诺布雷汉坦病毒(SNV)是一种由啮齿动物传播的高毒力病毒，可导致人类患上致命的汉坦病毒肺综合征(HPS)。这种疾病的最高频率出现在美国西南部。病原体的传播媒介为常见的鹿鼠。这种病毒的古老，以及西南部HPS的高频率，引发了人们对它在该地区人类史前活动中所扮演的角色的质疑。该地区的史前人口是久坐不动、人口密度高的玉米农场主。当时的粮食储存和加工做法会增加人与老鼠的接触。这个探索性项目将使用已建立的古代DNA方法，试图从美国西南部考古发现的黑线姬鼠遗骸中恢复诊断出的新诺布雷病毒的核酸。样品预计将有1000-2000年的历史，并将直接使用碳-14进行测年。除了古老的DNA方法外，还将尝试免疫组织化学和免疫荧光方法来检测SNV特异的抗原和抗体。该项目的目的是记录西南部史前时期SNV作为一种潜在的疾病媒介的存在。SNV在古代作为一种疾病媒介的存在对该地区史前人口动态具有多种含义。

Sin Nombre Hantavirus (SNV) is a highly virulent, rodent-borne virus that causes the often fatal Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in humans. The highest frequencies of this disease are found in the US Southwest. The rodent vector of the pathogen is the common deer mouse, Peromyscus maniculatus. The antiquity of the virus, and the high frequency of HPS in the Southwest, raise questions about its role in human prehistory in the region. Prehistoric populations of the region were sedentary, high population density maize agriculturalists. Grain storage and processing practices of the time would have increased human-mouse contact.This exploratory project will use established ancient DNA methods to attempt to recover diagnostic nucleic acids of Sin Nombre Virus from archaeologically recovered remains of P. maniculatus in the US Southwest. Samples are expected to be 1,000-2,000 years old and will be directly dated using carbon-14. In addition to ancient DNA methods, immunohistochemical and immunoflorescent methods for the detection of antigens and antibodies specific to SNV will be attempted. The purpose of the project is to document the presence of SNV as a potential disease vector during Southwestern prehistory. Demonstration of SNV presence as a disease vector in antiquity has a variety of implications for prehistoric population dynamics in the region.