Karanam SK, Uppala PK, Kandra NV, Edhi S. Junín virus and Argentine haemorrhagic fever: Virology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and prevention strategies. World J Virol 2026; 15(3): 121066 [DOI: 10.5501/wjv.121066]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Praveen Kumar Uppala, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Maharajah’s College of Pharmacy, Phool Baugh, Vizianagaram 535002, Andhra Pradesh, India. praveen.chintu32@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Virology
Article-Type of This Article
review-article
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Sita Kumari Karanam, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Maharajah’s College of Pharmacy, Vizianagaram 535002, Andhra Pradesh, India
Praveen Kumar Uppala, Department of Pharmacology, Maharajah’s College of Pharmacy, Vizianagaram 535002, Andhra Pradesh, India
Naga Vishnu Kandra, Department of Radio Diagnosis, Santhiram Medical College and General Hospital, Nandyal 518501, Andhra Pradesh, India
Sandhya Edhi, Department of Pharmacognosy, Andhra University College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Visakhapatnam 530003, Andhra Pradesh, India
Co-first authors: Sita Kumari Karanam and Praveen Kumar Uppala.
Author contributions: Karanam SK contributed to final supervision of revised manuscript; Uppala PK contributed to concept, design, preparation of manuscript; Kandra NV contributed to literature search; Edhi S contributed to preparation of rough draft; Karanam SK and Uppala PK have made crucial and indispensable contributions towards the completion of the project and thus qualified as the co-first authors of the paper.
AI contribution statement: This article only uses AI tools (specifically ChatGPT) for language polishing and formatting assistance. The AI tools did not participate in the entire process of generating research data, interpreting results, and writing conclusions. All the content generated by the AI has been strictly reviewed and revised by the author.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Praveen Kumar Uppala, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology, Maharajah’s College of Pharmacy, Phool Baugh, Vizianagaram 535002, Andhra Pradesh, India. praveen.chintu32@gmail.com
Received: March 16, 2026 Revised: May 18, 2026 Accepted: June 29, 2026 Published online: September 25, 2026 Processing time: 187 Days and 23.1 Hours
Abstract
The Junin virus (JUNV) is mainly perpetuated in nature by rodent reservoirs, especially Calomys musculinus, and is transmitted to humans through aerosolization of contaminated rodent excreta. Clinical presentation of Argentine haemorrhagic fever (AHF) is characterized by an incubation period of about 7-14 days and several clinical manifestations such as fever, malaise, hematological abnormalities, hemorrhagic symptoms and neurological complications. The current review summarizes the current knowledge on the taxonomy, structure, genome structure, transmission dynamics, pathogenesis, clinical syndrome, and diagnostic methods that are related to JUNV infection. Special emphasis is on the progress in the sphere of molecular diagnostics, immune plasma therapy, and antiviral studies. The introduction of the Candid #1 live attenuated vaccine is a significant step towards the prevention of the AHF and has greatly reduced the prevalence of the disease among the endemic populations. Recent scientific advances, such as reverse genetics systems, genomic surveillance, and new therapeutic strategies, have added to the knowledge of the biology of JUNV and its interplay with the host immune system. Nonetheless, there are still challenges because of further spreading of the viruses among the rodents (reservoirs), inability to develop specific antiviral therapies, and the potential of other related arenaviruses. Argentine hemorrhagic fever needs to be prevented, diagnosed and controlled by further research, enhanced surveillance systems and enhanced vaccination.
Core Tip: Junin virus is a rodent-borne arenavirus that causes Argentine haemorrhagic fever (AHF), a serious viral disease endemic to agricultural regions of Argentina. The infection spreads mainly through contact with contaminated rodent urine, saliva, or feces, often via inhalation of aerosolized particles. AHF initially presents with fever, fatigue, muscle pain, and headache, but severe cases may progress to bleeding disorders, neurological complications, and cardiovascular instability. The disease pathogenesis involves immune system disruption, vascular injury, and coagulation abnormalities. Diagnosis depends on laboratory methods such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, serological assays, and viral isolation. Early treatment with immune plasma therapy can significantly reduce mortality. Prevention strategies focus on rodent control, safe agricultural practices, public awareness, and vaccination with the Candid #1 vaccine in endemic areas.
