ISOLATION OF AN ARENAVIRUS CLOSELY RELATED TO LASSA VIRUS FROM MASTOMYS-NATALENSIS IN SOUTHEAST AFRICA

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 55  (4) , 441-444
Abstract
Five unidentified virus strains were recovered from the multimammate mouse, M. natalensis, during studies on arbovirus infections in Mozambique. These agents were morphologically and immunologically related to Lassa virus. Four of 19 sera from Mastomys captured in the study area had antibodies to Lassa virus and 1 of the unidentified strains. The differences noted in complement fixation and indirect immunofluorescent tests suggest that these viruses from south-east Africa are not identical to West African Lassa virus.