The 454 genome sequencing system from Roche Applied Science has been used to detect a novel virus responsible for a hemorrhagic fever outbreak in South Africa.
A study published online in PLOS Pathogens reported that researchers at Columbia University, the South African National Health Laboratory Services, the US Centers for Disease Control, and 454 Life Sciences have discovered the virus responsible for the highly fatal hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Zambia and South Africa in late 2008.
The previously unknown arenavirus, which is distantly related to the Lassa virus and Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, was characterised using the rapid and sensitive sequencing technology of 454 Life Sciences.
The new species, named 'Lujo virus' for the geographic origin of the outbreak (Lusaka, Zambia, and Johannesburg, South Africa), is the first hemorrhagic fever-associated arenavirus from Africa identified in the past three decades.
Characterisation of the novel virus confirms the utility of unbiased high-throughput sequencing for pathogen discovery and provides an opportunity for public health efforts to quickly curb emerging viral pandemics in the future.
In September and October 2008, five cases of undiagnosed hemorrhagic fever were recognised in South Africa after air transfer of a critically ill individual from Zambia.
The disease was fatal in four of the five cases, including the originally infected individual, the paramedic who attended the patient during air transfer, the nurse who attended the patient in the intensive-care unit in South Africa, and a member of the hospital staff who cleaned the room after the death of the patient.
Unbiased, high-throughput sequencing with the 454 sequencing system revealed the presence of a previously undiscovered old-world arenavirus.
While the distantly related Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus is generally harmless in healthy humans, the Lujo virus demonstrates an unprecedented high case fatality rate of 80 per cent and unusual degree of pathogenicity.
Thomas Briese, associate director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at the Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University, said: 'Within 72 hours of the sample arriving at JFK airport, we identified the novel virus using high-throughput sequencing.
'It is reassuring that we now have the tools needed to rapidly detect and respond to the challenges of previously unknown killer viruses.'
