N.

FAMILY ARENAVIRIDAE

- “Arena”- latin word meaning “sandy”, used to describe grainy particles that are
ribosomes acquired from their host cell
- Single stranded RNA in linear segments
- Spherical or pleomorphic
- Enveloped; 50 to 300 in diameter
- Sensitive to ether, acid and heat
- Rodents and fruit bats are reservoir host
- Enzootic

DISEASE CAUSED BY GENUS ARENA VIRUS

Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis of Mice

- caused by Arenavirus
- first viral disease in mice which immunotolerance is observed
- reduced growth rates and elevated mortality rates
- chronic infection leads to the development of autoimmune disease
- signs are fever, malaise, weakness, myalgia, retroorbital headache,
photophobia, anorexia, nausea, and light-headedness

Diagnosis:
- isolation of virus from the blood or Cerebro-Spinal Fluid
- immunofluorescence Assay Test