Lymphocytic choriomeningitis 1875355 225910504 2008-07-15T23:46:14Z Arcadian 104523 mesh {{Taxobox | color = violet | name = ''Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus'' | image = Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus.jpg | image_caption = Negative stain [[electron micrograph]] of an arenavirus from a mouse that tested positive for LCM | virus_group = v | familia = ''[[Arenaviridae]]'' | genus = ''[[Arenavirus]]'' | species = '''''Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus''''' }} {{Infobox_Disease | Name = {{PAGENAME}} | Image = | Caption = | DiseasesDB = | ICD10 = A87.2 | ICD9 = {{ICD9|049.0}} | ICDO = | OMIM = | MedlinePlus = | eMedicineSubj = med | eMedicineTopic = 1350 | MeshID = D008216 | }} '''Lymphocytic choriomeningitis''' (LCM), is a [[rodent]]-borne viral infectious disease that presents as [[aseptic meningitis|aseptic]] [[meningitis]], [[encephalitis]] or [[meningoencephalitis]]. Its causative agent is the '''Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus''' (LCMV), a member of the family [[Arenaviridae]]. The name was coined by [[Charles Armstrong (physician)|Charles Armstrong]] in 1934.<ref>Edward A. Beeman: ''Charles Armstrong, M.D.: A Biography'', 2007 pp. 183ff. (also online [http://history.nih.gov/01Docs/historical/documents/ArmstrongBiography.pdf here (PDF)]</ref> <br /> ==Alternative Names== *Benign lymphocytic meningitis *Lymphocytic meningoencephalitis *Serous lymphocytic meningitis *La Maladie d'Armstrong <ref> Beeman op. cit. pp. 305f.</ref> ==Virus biology== LCMV is an enveloped virus with a helical [[nucleocapsid]], it has a [[negative-sense]], single-stranded, segmented (S segment and L segment), [[RNA genome]]. The first [[arenavirus]], lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), was isolated in 1933 by Charles Armstrong during a study of [[St. Louis Encephalitis|an epidemic in St. Louis]]. Although not the cause of the outbreak, LCMV was found to be a cause of nonbacterial or [[aseptic meningitis]]. ==Infection== LCMV is naturally spread by the common [[house mouse]], ''Mus musculus''.<ref>Hill, A. Edward. "Benign lymphocytic meningitis." ''Caribbean Medical Journal, Vol. XI, No.'' 1. (1948), ''pp''. 34-37.</ref> Once infected, these mice can become chronically infected by maintaining virus in their [[blood]] and/or persistently [[viral shedding|shedding virus]] in their [[urine]]. Chronically infected female mice usually transmit infection to their offspring, which in turn become chronically infected. About five per cent of mice, hamsters and rodents are thought to carry the disease. Pet rodents can contract the virus after exposure to infected mice. The virus seems to be relatively resistant to drying and therefore humans can become infected by inhaling infectious [[aerosolized]] particles of rodent urine, [[feces]], or [[saliva]], by ingesting food contaminated with virus, by contamination of [[mucus membrane]]s with infected body fluids, or by directly exposing cuts or other open wounds to virus-infected blood. The only documented cases of transmission from animals, have occurred between humans and mice or hamsters. However, humans rarely become infected from pet rodents. [[Seroprevalence]] is approximately 5% of the US population. It tends to be more common among lower socio-economic groupings, probably reflecting more frequent and direct contacts with mice. The virus normally has little effect on healthy people but can be deadly for people whose immune system has been weakened. Person-to-person transmission does not usually occur, with the exception of vertical transmission from an infected mother to [[fetus]]. In May 2005, reports of the deaths of at least three organ transplant patients in the US were linked to the virus. ==In popular culture== The virus plays a role in the modern remake of the [[television series]] ''[[Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]''. In the episode entitled "[[Torn (Battlestar Galactica)|Torn]]", the [[Cylon (re-imagining)|Cylon]] race is exposed to lymphocytic encephalitis after they bring an ancient beacon carrying the [[pathogen]] aboard their craft. Unlike their human counterparts, the Cylons do not have a natural [[immunity (medical)|immunity]] to this virus; many die. The humans learn of this weakness in the episode entitled "[[A Measure of Salvation]]". ==Footnotes== {{reflist}} ==References== *ICTVdB-The Universal Virus Database, version 4. [http://www.ictvdb.rothamsted.ac.uk/Ictv/index.htm] *Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/spb/mnpages/dispages/Fact_Sheets/Lymphocytic_Choriomeningitis_Fact_Sheet.pdf Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Fact Sheet] * {{cite web | author=CBWInfo | title=Safety Precautions for Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Casualties | date=1999 | url=http://www.cbwinfo.com/Biological/Pathogens/LCMV.html | accessdate=2006-05-11}} * {{cite news |author = Associated Press |url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7956205/ |title = Rodent virus now linked to six deaths - PetSmart in Rhode Island testing animals for rare disease |work = MSNBC |publisher = Microsoft | date = [[25 May]], [[2005]] | accessdate = 2006-05-11}} * {{cite news |author = AAP |url = http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Australian-scientists-discover-new-virus/2007/04/22/1177180469329.html |title = Australian scientists discover new virus |work = The Age |publisher = Fairfax | date = [[22 April]], [[2007]] | accessdate = 2007-04-22}} {{Viral diseases}} [[Category:Viruses]] [[Category:Animal diseases]] [[Category:Rat carried diseases]] [[de:Lymphozytäre Choriomeningitis]] [[es:Coriomeningitis linfocítica]] [[lt:Limfocitinis choriomeningitas]] [[pl:Limfocytarne zapalenie splotu naczyniówkowego i opon mózgowych]]