Chapare-Virus

The Chapare virus is an enveloped virus with a single-stranded RNA genome ambisense, the two closed rings (L and S segment ) is present in the virion. The virus is the causative agent of hemorrhagic fever with an incubation time of about 14 days. The spread of the virus is still unclear and serve as intermediaries as well as in the closely related viruses most likely rodents.

Taxonomy

The Chapare virus is not yet clearly classified taxonomically, maybe it is also a divergent serotype another virus species from the non- taxonomic group of Tacaribe complex of New World arenaviruses. It has on the basis of sequence comparisons, a great proximity to the Machupo virus, Guanarito virus, Latino virus and particularly the Sabiá virus.

Discovery history

The Chapare virus was first described in 2008. There was first in the blood serum of a patient who died during a cluster of cases of severe hemorrhagic fever, which occurred in the Bolivian province of Chapare in December 2003 and January 2004. The virus was first identified serologically as an arena virus and the genome sequence could be elucidated. In another surviving patients of the local outbreak of the Chapare virus could then be also detected.