Viral Interference between the Insect-Specific Virus Brejeira and the Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus In Vitro.

The Saint Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is an encephalitogenic arbovirus ( family) that has a wide geographical distribution in the western hemisphere, especially in the Americas. The negevirus Brejeira (BREV) was isolated for the first time in Brazil in 2005. This study aimed to verify the existence of a possible interfering effect of BREV on the course of SLEV infection and vice versa.

Development of RT-qPCR and semi-nested RT-PCR assays for molecular diagnosis of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome is an, often fatal, emerging zoonotic disease in the Americas caused by hantaviruses (family: Hantaviridae). In Brazil, hantavirus routine diagnosis is based on serology (IgM-ELISA) while RT-PCR is often used to confirm acute infection. A Semi-nested RT-PCR and an internally controlled RT-qPCR assays were developed for detection and quantification of four hantaviruses strains circulating in the Brazilian Amazon: Anajatuba (ANAJV) and Castelo dos Sonhos (CASV) strains of Andes virus (ANDV) species; and Rio Mamoré (RIOMV) and Laguna Negra (LNV) strains of LNV species.

Circulation of hantaviruses in the influence area of the Cuiabá-Santarém Highway.

We describe evidence of circulation of hantaviruses in the influence area of the Santarém-Cuiabá Highway (BR-163) in the Brazilian Amazon through the prevalence of specific antibodies against hantaviruses in inhabitants living in four municipalities of this area: Novo Progresso (2.16%) and Trairão (4.37%), in state of Pará (PA), and Gua-rantã do Norte (4.