II. Pathophysiology
- Arenaviridae are a family of viruses causing Viral Hemorrhagic Fever
- Arenaviridae primarily cause Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (except LCMV)
- Arenaviridae are Enveloped, helical, segmented, single stranded RNA Viruses
- Arenaviridae infect rodents as main reservoir, and transmit to humans via contact with urine
- Arenaviridae are Anti-Message Sense RNA Viruses (Negative Stranded, -ssRNA)
- Anti-Message sense RNA (-ssRNA) need to first be transcribed into +ssRNA
- RNA dependent RNA Polymerase (RNA replicase, RdRp)
- RdRp is an enzyme carried by the -ssRNA virus within its capsid
- RdRp transcribes -ssRNA into +ssRNA within the host cell
- Translation follows +ssRNA transcription from -ssRNA (by RdRp)
- As with mRNA, +ssRNA translated by host ribosomes into Protein
III. Types: Old World Arenaviruses
-
Lassa Virus
- Viral Hemorrhagic Fever in West Africa
-
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV)
- Rodent-borne virus (mice)
- Although included in old world viruses, found worldwide
- Presentations
- Asymptomatic illness
- Influenza-like illness
- Benign Aseptic Meningitis
- Severe meningoencephalomyelitis
IV. Types: New World Arenaviruses (Tacaribe virus group)
- Viral Hemorrhagic Fever causes primarily in South America
- Viruses