Abstract

SOTO, Ella  and  MATTAR, Salim. Hemorrhagic fever Arenaviruses in Latin America. Salud, Barranquilla [online]. 2010, vol.26, n.2, pp. 298-310. ISSN 2011-7531.

Viral hemorrhagic fevers caused by Arenaviruses include endemic viruses in Africa (Lassa fever) and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) of worldwide distribution, and the New World Arenavirus or Tacaribe Complex, which includes endemic viruses in the Americas (Junin, Machupo, Guanarito, Sabia, Pichinde, among others). The natural hosts are rodents and human infection occurs through contact with urine and excrements. The clinical manifestations are initially indistinguishable from other viral hemorrhagic fevers caused by bacteria, parasites and other viruses, constituting a public health problem. So it requires a differential diagnosis using serological and molecular techniques..

Keywords : Viral hemorrhagic fevers; Arenavirus; Junin virus; Guanarito virus; Lassa virus; lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus..