Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of Andes virus involved in the recent person-to-person transmission outbreak reported in Argentina.
On November 2, 2018, a person-to-person transmission outbreak of Andes virus (Orthohantavirus andesense) began in the small town of Epuyén, Argentina. The strain demonstrated a high capacity for sustained transmission among the human population requiring the implementation of quarantine measures, ri...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013205 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850111256237703168 |
|---|---|
| author | Rocio Coelho Sebastian Kehl Natalia Periolo Emiliano Biondo Daniel Alonso Celeste Perez Darío Fernández Do Porto Gustavo Palacios Alexis Edelstein Carla Bellomo Valeria Paula Martinez |
| author_facet | Rocio Coelho Sebastian Kehl Natalia Periolo Emiliano Biondo Daniel Alonso Celeste Perez Darío Fernández Do Porto Gustavo Palacios Alexis Edelstein Carla Bellomo Valeria Paula Martinez |
| author_sort | Rocio Coelho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | On November 2, 2018, a person-to-person transmission outbreak of Andes virus (Orthohantavirus andesense) began in the small town of Epuyén, Argentina. The strain demonstrated a high capacity for sustained transmission among the human population requiring the implementation of quarantine measures, rigorous contact tracing, isolation of close contacts, and active clinical monitoring to prevent further spread. In this study, we report the isolation of this strain, which we name the ARG-Epuyén strain, directly from a clinical sample after just three passages in cell culture. Complete sequencing revealed only a single amino acid change post-isolation, suggesting that this strain can be considered a non-adapted wild-type Andes virus, marking a critical step toward the development of medical countermeasures against this emerging pathogen. The pathogenicity and transmissibility potential of ARG-Epuyén were evaluated in hamsters, the only animal model for Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. Additionally, this strain was compared with Andes/ARG, an ANDV strain previously isolated from the same geographical area in the Argentinian Patagonia, from a rodent specimen. Our findings revealed high infectiousness and efficient hamster-to-hamster transmission through direct contact experiments, although ARG-Epuyén appeared to be less pathogenic than Andes/ARG. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-44c8a2d234bf4dc7a0bddf3c3ce5f73b |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-44c8a2d234bf4dc7a0bddf3c3ce5f73b2025-08-20T02:37:39ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352025-06-01196e001320510.1371/journal.pntd.0013205Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of Andes virus involved in the recent person-to-person transmission outbreak reported in Argentina.Rocio CoelhoSebastian KehlNatalia PerioloEmiliano BiondoDaniel AlonsoCeleste PerezDarío Fernández Do PortoGustavo PalaciosAlexis EdelsteinCarla BellomoValeria Paula MartinezOn November 2, 2018, a person-to-person transmission outbreak of Andes virus (Orthohantavirus andesense) began in the small town of Epuyén, Argentina. The strain demonstrated a high capacity for sustained transmission among the human population requiring the implementation of quarantine measures, rigorous contact tracing, isolation of close contacts, and active clinical monitoring to prevent further spread. In this study, we report the isolation of this strain, which we name the ARG-Epuyén strain, directly from a clinical sample after just three passages in cell culture. Complete sequencing revealed only a single amino acid change post-isolation, suggesting that this strain can be considered a non-adapted wild-type Andes virus, marking a critical step toward the development of medical countermeasures against this emerging pathogen. The pathogenicity and transmissibility potential of ARG-Epuyén were evaluated in hamsters, the only animal model for Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. Additionally, this strain was compared with Andes/ARG, an ANDV strain previously isolated from the same geographical area in the Argentinian Patagonia, from a rodent specimen. Our findings revealed high infectiousness and efficient hamster-to-hamster transmission through direct contact experiments, although ARG-Epuyén appeared to be less pathogenic than Andes/ARG.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013205 |
| spellingShingle | Rocio Coelho Sebastian Kehl Natalia Periolo Emiliano Biondo Daniel Alonso Celeste Perez Darío Fernández Do Porto Gustavo Palacios Alexis Edelstein Carla Bellomo Valeria Paula Martinez Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of Andes virus involved in the recent person-to-person transmission outbreak reported in Argentina. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of Andes virus involved in the recent person-to-person transmission outbreak reported in Argentina. |
| title_full | Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of Andes virus involved in the recent person-to-person transmission outbreak reported in Argentina. |
| title_fullStr | Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of Andes virus involved in the recent person-to-person transmission outbreak reported in Argentina. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of Andes virus involved in the recent person-to-person transmission outbreak reported in Argentina. |
| title_short | Virological characterization of a new isolated strain of Andes virus involved in the recent person-to-person transmission outbreak reported in Argentina. |
| title_sort | virological characterization of a new isolated strain of andes virus involved in the recent person to person transmission outbreak reported in argentina |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0013205 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rociocoelho virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT sebastiankehl virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT nataliaperiolo virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT emilianobiondo virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT danielalonso virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT celesteperez virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT dariofernandezdoporto virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT gustavopalacios virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT alexisedelstein virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT carlabellomo virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina AT valeriapaulamartinez virologicalcharacterizationofanewisolatedstrainofandesvirusinvolvedintherecentpersontopersontransmissionoutbreakreportedinargentina |