Tula virus: a newly detected hantavirus carried by European common voles.

A novel hantavirus has been discovered in European common voles, Microtus arvalis and Microtus rossiaemeridionalis. According to sequencing data for the genomic RNA S segment and nucleocapsid protein and data obtained by immunoblotting with a panel of monoclonal antibodies, the virus, designated Tula virus, is a distinct novel member of the genus Hantavirus. Phylogenetic analyses of Tula virus indicate that it is most closely related to Prospect Hill, Puumala, and Muerto Canyon viruses. The results support the view that the evolution of hantaviruses follows that of their primary carriers. Comparison of strains circulating within a local rodent population revealed a genetic drift via accumulation of base substitutions and deletions or insertions. The Tula virus population from individual animals is represented by quasispecies, indicating the potential for rapid evolution of the agent.