ECOLOGY OF EMERGING ARENAVIRUSES IN SOUTHWESTERN U S

这项研究计划的主要目标是阐明 生态学，脊椎动物宿主协会，遗传多样性和人类 存在于美国西南部的沙粒病毒的潜在疾病 美国和北方墨西哥。最近发现了一种新的 沙粒病毒，白水阿罗约（WWA），感染啮齿动物在新的 墨西哥和血清学证据表明，WWA或相关的沙粒病毒是 广泛分布于林鼠（Neotoma spp.）各地人口 西南部，提高真实的可能性，这些代理人可能是 对该地区的公共卫生至关重要。具体目标是 项目是（l）确定地理分布和啮齿动物 WWA病毒在美国西南部和北方的宿主关系 墨西哥;（2）研究各种林鼠之间的遗传关联 种和沙粒病毒发生在同一地区;（3） 研究WAA病毒在其假定的自然状态下的致病性， 啮齿动物宿主，N albigula;和（4）以确定患病率，风险 WWA感染的相关因素和疾病关联 在流行地区的人类中发现了沙粒病毒。本研究 是得克萨斯大学的科学家们 医学分支（加尔维斯顿）和德克萨斯理工大学（拉伯克）。 该项目为期3年，包括现场和实验室 研究，涉及病毒学，病理学，分子生物学， 生物学、遗传学、哺乳动物学、生态学和流行病学。

The broad objectives of this research proposal are to elucidate the ecology, vertebrate host associations, genetic diversity and human disease potential of arenaviruses present in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The recent identification of a new arenavirus, Whitewater Arroyo (WWA), infecting rodents in New Mexico and serologic evidence that WWA or related arenaviruses are widely distributed in woodrat (Neotoma spp.) populations throughout the Southwest, raise the real possibility that these agents may be of some public health importance in the region. The specific aims of this project are (l) to determine the geographic distribution and rodent host associations of WWA virus in the Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico; (2) to study the genetic associations among various woodrat species-and arenaviruses occurring in the same region; (3) to investigate the pathogenesis of WAA virus in its presumed natural rodent host, N albigula; and (4) to determine the prevalence, risk factors and disease associations of infection with WWA and related arenaviruses among humans living in the endemic region. This research is a collaborative effort between scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston) and Texas Tech University (Lubbock). The project is of 3 years duration, consists of both field and laboratory studies, and involves the disciplines of virology, pathology, molecular biology, genetics, mammalogy, ecology and epidemiology.