Asama virus (ASAV) is a single-stranded, enveloped, segmented negative-sense RNA hantavirus.
[Arai S, Ohdachi SD, Asakawa M, Kang HJ, Mocz G, Arikawa J, Okabe N, Yanagihara R.Molecular phylogeny of a newfound hantavirus in the Japanese shrew mole (Urotrichus talpoides).Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.2008 Oct 21;105(42):16296–301.] The hantavirus was isolated in Japan from Japanese shrew mole.
Hantaviruses harbored by shrews are genetically closer to ASAV than to hantaviruses harbored by rodents.
Host-switching may be evident in the future due to the viruses closeness to
soricine shrew-borne hantaviruses.
The detection of the ASAV was the first hantavirus found to be hosted by members of the family ''
Talpidae
The family (biology), family Talpidae () includes the true Mole (animal), moles (as well as the shrew moles and desmans) who are small insectivore, insectivorous mammals of the order (biology), order Eulipotyphla. Talpids are all fossorial, diggi ...
'', which includes shrew moles.
Thoughts on hantavirus evolutionary history has expanded due to the discovery of ASAV.
Natural reservoir
Asama virus was isolated through RNA extracts from lung tissues of the Japanese shrew mole (''
Urotrichus talpoides
The Japanese shrew mole (''Urotrichus talpoides'') or is a species of mammal in the family Talpidae. It is endemic to Japan and is found on Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu, Awaji Island, Shodo Island, Oki Islands, Tsushima Island, Goto Islands, M ...
''), captured in Japan between February and April 2008. It is one of the first hantaviruses found in a mole.
Virology
Asama virus is genetically closer to other hantaviruses harbored by shrews than by rodents. However, the nucleocapsid protein is similar to that of rodent and shrew-borne hantaviruses. Phylogenetic analyses positions it closest to soricine shrew-borne hantaviruses. This suggests a possible
host-switching event in the distant past.
[Bennett, Shannon N., Laurie Diznie, Laarni Sumibcay, Satoru Arai, Luis A. Ruedas, Jin-Won Song, and Richard Yanagihara. "Host Switch during Evolution of a Genetically Distinct Hantavirus in the American Shrew Mole (Neurotrichus Gibbsii)." ''Virology''. By Hi Ji Kang. 1st ed. Vol. 388. N.p.: n.p., 2009. 8-14. Print.]
Asama virus is related to soricine shrew-borne hantaviruses that are found in North America, Europe, and Asia. This relation was discovered through phylogenetic analyses. The relationship between the two hantaviruses may suggest parallel evolution associated with cross-species transmission.
See also
*
Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome
Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a hemorrhagic fever caused by hantaviruses. Symptoms usually occur 12–16 days after exposure to the virus and come in five distinct phases: febrile, hypotensive, low urine production (ol ...
References
External links
CDC's Hantavirus Technical Information Index pageVirus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource (ViPR): Hantaviridae
{{Taxonbar, from=Q29002476
Hantaviridae
Zoonotic viral diseases