Arenavirus causes hemorrhagic fever outbreak

An outbreak of hemorrhagic fever in South Africa and Zambia has been caused by a new arenavirus, experts have revealed.

The arenavirus, which is called the Lujo virus, is the first associated with hemorrhagic fever to be found in Africa in just less than four decades.

Scientists at Columbia University, the South African National Institute for Communicable Diseases of National Health Laboratory Service (NICD-NHLS), the US Centres for Disease Control Prevention and Roche's 454 Life Sciences Corporation have carried out the research, which is published in PLoS Pathogens.

Genetic extracts of liver and blood from the victims of the virus were used to discover its nature.

Janusz Paweska, head of the special pathogens unit of NICD-NHLS, said: "The successful international collaboration during this highly fatal outbreak highlighted the importance of global cooperation in outbreak response to emerging and highly dangerous pathogens.

"This south-north collaboration created a powerful partnership of scientific excellence, resulting in rapid and comprehensive full genetic characterisation of the new virus."

In September and October last year, five cases of undiagnosed hemorrhagic fever were diagnosed in South Africa.

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