Catacamas virus | |
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Virus classification | |
Group: | Group V ((−)ssRNA) |
Order: | Unassigned |
Family: | Bunyaviridae |
Genus: | Hantavirus |
Species: | Catacamas virus |
Catacamas virus is a single-stranded, enveloped novel RNA virus species in the hantavirus genus of the Bunyaviridae family isolated in Oryzomys couesi near the town of Catacamas in eastern Honduras.
Catacamas virus was isolated from Oryzomys couesi and none of 41 other rodents that were also trapped near the town of Catacamas. The finding represents the first time a hantavirus species has been found in Honduras. Genetically, it is most closely related to Bayou virus which is associated with the marsh rice rat (Oryzomys palustris) in the southeastern United States.
Analysis of nucleotide and amino acid sequence data indicated that this novel hantaviral species is phylogenetically most closely related to Bayou virus, a hantavirus species that is principally associated with Oryzomys palustris (marsh oryzomys) in the southeastern United States.