Imported dengue in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Vol. 6, No. 6, November–December 2000 Emerging Infectious Diseases when aggressive male animals fight. Although this pattern has been observed for several host species of New World hantaviruses, this is the first known demonstration for Dobrava virus and A. flavicollis. Of the two female rodents with evidence of hantavirus infection, one had scars, and one did not. The latter was positive by PCR on lung tissue but did not have detectable antibody in blood, which perhaps indicates very recent infection. The seropositive R. rattus from Pramanta is the first evidence of hantavirus infection in Rattus within Greece. No Rattus captured during previous expeditions had hantavirus antibody (8). The low antibody titer (1:32) and failure to amplify viral RNA by PCR from this animal could indicate infection with a heterologous hantavirus with low cross-reactivity. Perhaps more likely, the antibody detected in this 39-g juvenile rat may represent waning maternal antibody. Transfer of protective maternal antibody to R. norvegicus pups by Seoul virus-infected dams has been demonstrated (9). Our data implicate A. flavicollis as the reservoir of Dobrava virus in northern Greece and demonstrate the common occurrence of that species in both sylvatic and peridomestic habitats. These preliminary results underscore the need for continued, more intensive reservoir studies in Greece.