The design and use of specific genetic probes to identify closely related bunyaviruses and to determine the genotype of their recombinants.

Viruses that are very closely related to each other at the genetic and gene product level can prove difficult to distinguish, although they may differ in phenotype (for example in their virulence or vector preferences). A chimeric genetic probe has been developed and tested to distinguish the S RNAs of two closely related bunyaviruses, snowshoe hare and La Crosse viruses. The technique is applicable to other RNA species of these two bunyaviruses.