Detection of hantaviruses in Brazilian rodents by SYBR-Green-based real-time RT-PCR

Current knowledge of the pathogenic hantavirus indicates that wild rodents are its primary natural reservoir. Specific primers to detect the presence of viral genomes were developed using an SYBR-Green-based real-time RT-PCR protocol. One hundred sixty-four rodents native to the Atlantic Forest biome were captured in São Paulo State, Brazil, and their tissues were tested. The presence of hantavirus RNA was detected in sixteen rodents: three specimens of Akodon montensis , three of Akodon cursor , two of Necromys lasiurus , one of Juliomys sp., one of Thaptomys nigrita , five of Oligoryzomys nigripes , and one of Oryzomys sp. This SYBR Green real-time RT-PCR method for detection of hantavirus may be useful for surveying hantaviruses in Brazil.