[Analysis of the primary structure of hantavirus RNA, detected in organs of patients that died from HFKS in the Republic of Bashkortostan].

Fragments of the minor S and middle M segments of Hantavirus genome RNA were isolated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from the organs of patients who died from hemorrhagic fever with the renal syndrome (HFRS) during an epidemic outbreak of this infection in the Bashkortostan Republic in 1997-1998. The sizes of the resultant PCR fragments were 317 p. n. for S segment and 416 p. n. for M segment. Their primary structures (GENBANK registration numbers AJ133581 and AJ133582) were determined and they were compared with the nucleotide sequences of the respective genome sites of Hantavirus strain CG1820/Ufa-83 isolated from Clethrionomys in Bashkortostan in 1983. The homologies of nucleotide sequences of the corresponding sites of S and M segments of RNA isolate of 1997 and CG1820/Ufa-83 were 87.7 and 96.6%, respectively. The authors discuss the probability of circulation of hantaviruses differing by individual features of primary structure of genome RNA in Bashkortostan.