Virus
Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus
Arenavirus, house mouse, aseptic meningitis
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High-yield clue
House-mouse (Mus musculus) arenavirus classically linked to aseptic meningitis and congenital infection.
Overview
The prototype arenavirus (genus Mammarenavirus), an enveloped ambisense segmented RNA virus carried by the common house mouse and studied as a cause of aseptic meningitis and congenital infection.
Classification
- Arenaviridae
- Genus Mammarenavirus
- Ambisense ssRNA
- Two segments (bisegmented)
- Enveloped
Lab & identification clues
- CSF lymphocytic pleocytosis vocabulary
- Segmented ambisense arenavirus genome framing
- Congenital infection study association
Associations
- Common house mouse (Mus musculus) reservoir
- Exposure to rodent excreta transmission
- Aseptic meningitis presentation vocabulary
- Congenital hydrocephalus/chorioretinitis association
Commonly confused with
- Lassa virus
- Toxoplasma gondii (congenital)
Your notes
Original student-study summary. Sources checked: OpenStax Microbiology 2e, NCBI Bookshelf Medical Microbiology, and CDC topic pages where applicable; reviewed 2026-06. Educational only; no diagnosis, treatment, dosing, or specimen-handling guidance.