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Novel Arenavirus Isolates from NamaquaRock Mice, Namibia, Southern AfricaPeter T. Witkowski, René Kallies, Julia Hoveka,Brita Auste, Ndapewa L. Ithete,Katarína Šoltys, Tomáš Szemes,Christian Drosten, Wolfgang Preiser,Boris Klempa, John K.E. Mfune, Detlev H. KrugerArenaviruses are feared as agents that cause viral hemorrhagicfevers. We report the identification, isolation, and geneticcharacterization of 2 novel arenaviruses from Namaquarock mice in Namibia. These findings extend knowledge ofthe distribution and diversity of arenaviruses in Africa.Arenaviruses are known to cause severe hemorrhagicfevers across the globe with case fatality rates up to30% (1). The viruses possess a bisegmented, single-strandedRNA genome with ambisense coding strategy consistingof a small segment coding for the nucleoprotein andglycoprotein and a large (L) segment coding for the RNAdependentRNA polymerase and matrix protein.In Africa, Lassa virus (LASV) and Lujo virus are theonly known members of the family Arenaviridae that causehuman disease (2,3); however, evidence for lymphocyticchoriomeningitis virus, another Arenaviridae sp., was recentlyreported in Gabon (4). Several other arenaviruses ofunknown pathogenic potential have also been found in Africa:Gbagroube, Kodoko, and Menekre viruses from westernAfrica (5,6); Ippy (IPPYV) and Mobala viruses fromcentral Africa; Mopeia, Morogoro, Luna, and Lunk virusesfrom eastern Africa; and Merino Walk virus (MWV) fromsouthern Africa (7,8). All of these viruses are carried byrodents of the family Muridae.Until now, no molecular detection of arenaviruses hasbeen reported from Namibia. A study in 1991 described alow seroprevalence (0.8%) for LASV antibodies in humansin northern Namibia (9). Because of lack of data about arenavirusoccurrence and effects in southwestern Africa, weAuthor affiliations: Charité Medical School, Berlin, Germany(P.T. Witkowski, B. Auste, B. Klempa, D.H. Kruger); HelmholtzCentre for Environmental Research–UFZ, Leipzig, Germany(R. Kallies); University of Bonn Medical Center, Bonn, Germany(R. Kallies, C. Drosten); University of Namibia, Windhoek,Namibia (J. Hoveka, J.K.E. Mfune); Stellenbosch University andNational Health Laboratory Services Tygerberg, Cape Town,South Africa (N.L. Ithete, W. Preiser); Comenius University,Bratislava, Slovakia (K. Šoltys, T. Szemes); Slovak Academy ofSciences, Bratislava (B. Klempa)DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2106.141341conducted a study of small mammals from Namibia to detectinfection with arenaviruses.The StudyDuring 2010–2012, animal trapping was performed in8 areas in central and northern Namibia (Figure 1), andsamples from 812 rodents and shrews were obtained (Table1). The animals were dissected in the field and storedindividually in a field freezer at –20°C and later at −80°C.For primary arenavirus screening, lung sections of allanimals were homogenized, and RNA was extracted andreversely transcribed by using random hexamer primers.Screening was performed by arenavirus genus-specificreverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) (10) to detect the Lgenomic segment. From samples testing positive byFigure 1. Screening for arenaviruses in Namibia. Trappinglocations (named according to the nearest urban settlement)of small mammals. Sites where samples positive for newarenaviruses were found are marked by a crossed circle andunderlined locality names. Geographic positioning systemcoordinates of the trapping sites: Ben Hur, 22°87.26′S,19°21.10′E; Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), 16°39.0′E,20°28.12′S; Mariental, 24°62.08′S, 17°95.93′E; Okahandja,(21°98.33′S, 16°91.32′E); Palmwag, 19°53.23′S, 13°56.35′E;Rundu, 17°56.645′S, 20°05.109′E; Talismanis, 21°84.30′S,20°73.91′E; Windhoek, 22°49.93′S, 17°34.76′E.Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 21, No. 7, July 2015 1213