Isolation of Viruses from Mosquitoes Collected at Lumbo, Mozambique

Abstract

Summary A new virus has been isolated from a pool of 15 mosquitoes of the Culex (Culex) sitiens Wiedemann group. The virus has been named Mossuril after the administrative district in northeastern Mozambique where the mosquitoes were collected. Mossuril virus is pathogenic only for newborn mice and only by the intracerebral route of inoculation. The virus withstands lyophilization, is relatively sensitive to heat and is inactivated by sodium desoxycholate. The results of mouse protection test surveys indicate that Mossuril virus has a very small role in mammalian infections.