The United States of America, as Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

The United States of America as Represented by the Department of Health

Eugeny Ravkov

Stuart T Nichol

Thomas G Ksiazek

Pierre E Rollin

Sergey Morzunov

Luanne Elliott

The present invention relates to the discovery and isolation of a novel hantavirus designated the Black Creek Canal hantavirus. In particular, the present invention relates to nucleic acids of the newly discovered virus and to nucleic acid reagents (primers and probes), purified polypeptides and antibodies for use in methods of detection and prevention of infection by the virus. A vaccine or purified immunogenic polypeptide of the Black Creek Canal hantavirus in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier is provided. A vector comprising the nucleic acids of the invention is provided. A method of detecting the presence of a hantavirus in a subject comprising contacting an antibody-containing sample from the subject with a purified polypeptide of the invention and detecting the reaction of the polypeptide and the antibody is provided. A method of detecting the presence of the Black Creek Canal hantavirus is provided comprising reverse transcribing viral RNA to synthesize a complementary DNA sequence followed by amplifying the DNA using primers which are selective for the Black Creek Canal hantavirus and detecting the presence of amplification, thereby indicating presence of the Black Creek Canal hantavirus in the sample.

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Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Eugeny Ravkov