New Virus Linked to Three Calif. Deaths

S A C R A M E N T O, Calif., Aug 4 -- A rare virus largely unknown in North Americahas killed a 14-year-old Oakland area girl, and it may beresponsible for two more California deaths in the last 14 months,state officials said Thursday.

The state Department of Health Services said tests showed thegirl died of an arenavirus, which like the hantavirus, is believedto be transmitted to humans through dust carrying the urine, fecesor saliva of infected rodents.

The arenavirus is also strongly suspected of killing a30-year-old woman in Orange County and a 52-year-old woman inRiverside County in the last 14 months.

The girl died in April, the Orange County woman in June and theRiverside woman in June 1999.

All three victims were hospitalized with fever and respiratoryproblems. Two of them had liver disease and bleeding consistentwith viral hemorrhagic fever, the department said.

Human Infections Rare

Arenavirus infections have been found in rodents in SouthernCalifornia in recent years, but human infections in North Americahave been rare, officials said.

“Viral hemorrhagic fever associated with arenaviruses has neverbeen documented in the United States except among overseastravelers and laboratory personnel exposed accidentally while doingresearch,” said Diana Bonta, the department’s director.

Several arenaviruses are known in parts of Africa and SouthAmerica. They cause mild to severe infections characterized byfever, headache and occasionally severe bleeding or nervous systemproblems.

State officials said the cause of the girl’s death was confirmedafter tests were done at the University of Texas Medical Branch.Initial tests indicate arenavirus killed the two women, butadditional tests are being conducted.

The department said the drug ribavirin has been usedsuccessfully in the treatment of arenavirus infections, butofficials urged Californians to avoid contact with rodents and totake precautions when cleaning buildings with signs of rodentinfestation.