Determination of natural versus laboratory human infection with Mayaro virus by molecular analysis.

Tobias Junt (1) , Jean-Michel Heraud (1) , J. Lelarge (1) , B. Labeau (1) , Antoine Talarmin (1)

1 Institut Pasteur de la Guyane

A laboratory worker developed clinical signs of infection with Mayaro virus (Togaviridae), an arbovirus of South and Central America, 6 days after preparation of Mayaro viral antigen and 10 days after a trip to a rain forest. There was no evidence of skin lesions during the antigen preparation, and level 3 containment safety measures were followed. Therefore, molecular characterization of the virus was undertaken to identify the source of infection. RT-PCR and DNA sequence comparisons proved the infection was with the laboratory strain. Airborne Mayaro virus contamination is thus a hazard to laboratory personnel.

Domaines: Virologie

Tobias Junt, Jean-Michel Heraud, J. Lelarge, B. Labeau, Antoine Talarmin. Determination of natural versus laboratory human infection with Mayaro virus by molecular analysis.. Epidemiology and Infection, 1999, 123 (3), pp.511-513. ⟨10.1017/s0950268899003180⟩. ⟨pasteur-00607927⟩