Choclo virus

Choclo virus
Virus classification
Group:	Group V ((−)ssRNA)
Order:	Unassigned
Family:	Bunyaviridae
Genus:	Hantavirus
Species:	Choclo virus

Choclo virus (CHOV) is a single-stranded, negative-sense RNA zoonotic New World hantavirus. It was first isolated in 1999 in western Panama. The finding marked the first time Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) was found in Central America.

During this outbreak, a high seroprevalance was found among the general population, suggesting that this virus has an extremely low pathogenicity and causes sub-clinical to mild symptoms. This was confirmed in a study that infected hamsters with CHOV. All of the hamsters tested positive for CHOV, but none exhibited any symptoms.

The virus was isolated from the northern pygmy rice rat in El Choclo in the Los Santos Province in western Panama.

Choclo virus has not been shown to transfer from person-to-person. Transmission by aerosolized rodent excreta still remains the only known way the virus is transmitted to humans. In general, drop-let and/or fomite transfer has not been shown in the hantaviruses in general, in either the hemorrhagic or pulmonary forms.

There were a total of eleven cases reported but only nine serologically confirmed cases of Choclo virus found in this outbreak. A serologic survey of residents in the area revealed a 13% antibody prevalence. No person-to-person transmissions were found. There were no fatalities among serologically confirmed cases. There were three fatalities among those who tested negative for the virus. Before this outbreak, there were no documented cases of human hantavirus infections in Central America.

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