Bovine aortic endothelial cells are susceptible to hantavirus infection; a new aspect in hantavirus ecology.

Hantaviruses are enveloped RNA viruses that belong to the family Bunyaviridae. They are the causative agents of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Hantaviruses show a worldwide distribution with specific rodent species as natural hosts. It is known that rodents can transmit the virus via feces, urine, saliva, or bites to humans. Additionally, antibodies against different hantaviruses were also found in domestic animals, For example, Danes et al. documented hantavirus-specific IgG titers in 2% of examined cattle [Ceskoslov. Epidemiol. Mikrobiol. Imunol. 41 (1992) 15].