Diversity among Tacaribe serocomplex viruses (family Arenaviridae) naturally associated with the white-throated woodrat (Neotoma albigula) in the southwestern United States

Bayesian analyses of glycoprotein precursor and nucleocapsid protein gene sequences indicated that arenaviruses naturally associated with white-throated woodrats in central Arizona are phylogenetically closely related to the Whitewater Arroyo virus prototype strain AV 9310135, which originally was isolated from a white-throated woodrat captured in northwestern New Mexico. Pairwise comparisons of glycoprotein precursor and nucleocapsid protein amino acid sequences revealed extensive diversity among arenaviruses isolated from white-throated woodrats captured in different counties in central Arizona and extensive diversity between these viruses and Whitewater Arroyo virus strain AV 9310135. It was concluded that the viruses isolated from the white-throated woodrats captured in Arizona represent 2 novel species (Big Brushy Tank virus and Tonto Creek virus) and that these species should be included with Whitewater Arroyo virus in a species complex within the Tacaribe serocomplex (family Arenaviridae, genus Arenavirus).