McLean R G, Szmyd D M, Calisher C H
Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1982 May;31(3 Pt 1):569-73. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.1982.31.569.
Rio Grande (RG) virus, a new member of the Phlebotomus fever serogroup, was inoculated into wild wood rats (Neotoma micropus) and laboratory-reared cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) to determine if these potential hosts could be experimentally infected. Nine of 14 (64%) wood rats became viremic, with titers of circulating virus ranging from 10(2.3) to 10(5.3) plaque-forming units (PFU)/ml and a geometric mean titer of 10(3.7) PFU/ml. Virus was not detected in urine specimens from inoculated wood rats but was found in a single saliva specimen. RG virus was detected in the blood of 1 of 12 (8%) cotton rats. Neutralizing (N) antibody developed in 8 of 9 inoculated wood rats which survived for 30 days postinoculation and in 11 of 12 cotton rats. N antibody was still detectable in 4 of 7 wood rats which survived for 1 year, and all 7 were resistant to rechallenge with the virus, as were 3 wood rats with naturally-acquired antibody. High mortality (36%) occurred in inoculated wood rats; whereas low mortality (8%) occurred in cotton rats. The specific cause of death of the rats was not determined. Modes of transmission of the virus in nature are discussed.
里奥格兰德（RG）病毒是白蛉热血清群的一个新成员，将其接种到野生林鼠（小林姬鼠）和实验室饲养的棉鼠（刚毛棉鼠）体内，以确定这些潜在宿主是否能被实验性感染。14只林鼠中有9只（64%）出现病毒血症，循环病毒滴度在10（2.3）至10（5.3）空斑形成单位（PFU）/毫升之间，几何平均滴度为10（3.7）PFU/毫升。在接种林鼠的尿液样本中未检测到病毒，但在一份唾液样本中发现了病毒。在12只棉鼠中的1只（8%）的血液中检测到了RG病毒。9只接种后存活30天的林鼠中有8只以及12只棉鼠中有11只产生了中和（N）抗体。在7只存活1年的林鼠中有4只仍可检测到N抗体，并且所有7只对病毒再攻击均有抵抗力，3只有自然获得抗体的林鼠也是如此。接种的林鼠死亡率很高（36%）；而棉鼠死亡率很低（8%）。未确定大鼠的具体死亡原因。文中讨论了该病毒在自然界中的传播方式。
