Experimental Morogoro Virus Infection in Its Natural Host, <i>Mastomys natalensis</i>
Natural hosts of most arenaviruses are rodents. The human-pathogenic Lassa virus and several non-pathogenic arenaviruses such as Morogoro virus (MORV) share the same host species, namely <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> (<i>M. natalensis</i>). In this study, we investigated the his...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/851 |
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| author | Chris Hoffmann Stephanie Wurr Elisa Pallasch Sabrina Bockholt Toni Rieger Stephan Günther Lisa Oestereich |
| author_facet | Chris Hoffmann Stephanie Wurr Elisa Pallasch Sabrina Bockholt Toni Rieger Stephan Günther Lisa Oestereich |
| author_sort | Chris Hoffmann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Natural hosts of most arenaviruses are rodents. The human-pathogenic Lassa virus and several non-pathogenic arenaviruses such as Morogoro virus (MORV) share the same host species, namely <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> (<i>M. natalensis</i>). In this study, we investigated the history of infection and virus transmission within the natural host population. To this end, we infected <i>M. natalensis</i> at different ages with MORV and measured the health status of the animals, virus load in blood and organs, the development of virus-specific antibodies, and the ability of the infected individuals to transmit the virus. To explore the impact of the lack of evolutionary virus–host adaptation, experiments were also conducted with Mobala virus (MOBV), which does not share <i>M. natalensis</i> as a natural host. Animals infected with MORV up to two weeks after birth developed persistent infection, seroconverted and were able to transmit the virus horizontally. Animals older than two weeks at the time of infection rapidly cleared the virus. In contrast, MOBV-infected neonates neither developed persistent infection nor were able to transmit the virus. In conclusion, we demonstrate that MORV is able to develop persistent infection in its natural host, but only after inoculation shortly after birth. A related arenavirus that is not evolutionarily adapted to <i>M. natalensis</i> is not able to establish persistent infection. Persistently infected animals appear to be important to maintain virus transmission within the host population. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:38:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-477ba8df000643c5930749d957060bd7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:38:26Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-477ba8df000643c5930749d957060bd72023-11-21T18:39:37ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-05-0113585110.3390/v13050851Experimental Morogoro Virus Infection in Its Natural Host, <i>Mastomys natalensis</i>Chris Hoffmann0Stephanie Wurr1Elisa Pallasch2Sabrina Bockholt3Toni Rieger4Stephan Günther5Lisa Oestereich6Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, GermanyBernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, GermanyNatural hosts of most arenaviruses are rodents. The human-pathogenic Lassa virus and several non-pathogenic arenaviruses such as Morogoro virus (MORV) share the same host species, namely <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> (<i>M. natalensis</i>). In this study, we investigated the history of infection and virus transmission within the natural host population. To this end, we infected <i>M. natalensis</i> at different ages with MORV and measured the health status of the animals, virus load in blood and organs, the development of virus-specific antibodies, and the ability of the infected individuals to transmit the virus. To explore the impact of the lack of evolutionary virus–host adaptation, experiments were also conducted with Mobala virus (MOBV), which does not share <i>M. natalensis</i> as a natural host. Animals infected with MORV up to two weeks after birth developed persistent infection, seroconverted and were able to transmit the virus horizontally. Animals older than two weeks at the time of infection rapidly cleared the virus. In contrast, MOBV-infected neonates neither developed persistent infection nor were able to transmit the virus. In conclusion, we demonstrate that MORV is able to develop persistent infection in its natural host, but only after inoculation shortly after birth. A related arenavirus that is not evolutionarily adapted to <i>M. natalensis</i> is not able to establish persistent infection. Persistently infected animals appear to be important to maintain virus transmission within the host population.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/851arenavirus<i>Mastomys natalensis</i>natural hostvirus–host barrier |
| spellingShingle | Chris Hoffmann Stephanie Wurr Elisa Pallasch Sabrina Bockholt Toni Rieger Stephan Günther Lisa Oestereich Experimental Morogoro Virus Infection in Its Natural Host, <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> Viruses arenavirus <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> natural host virus–host barrier |
| title | Experimental Morogoro Virus Infection in Its Natural Host, <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> |
| title_full | Experimental Morogoro Virus Infection in Its Natural Host, <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> |
| title_fullStr | Experimental Morogoro Virus Infection in Its Natural Host, <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experimental Morogoro Virus Infection in Its Natural Host, <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> |
| title_short | Experimental Morogoro Virus Infection in Its Natural Host, <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> |
| title_sort | experimental morogoro virus infection in its natural host i mastomys natalensis i |
| topic | arenavirus <i>Mastomys natalensis</i> natural host virus–host barrier |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/851 |
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