Carajas and Maraba Viruses, Two New Vesiculoviruses Isolated from Phlebotomine Sand Flies in Brazil *

Two new rhabdoviruses, designated Carajas and Maraba, are described. Both were isolated from phlebotomine sand flies (Lutzomyia spp.) collected in the Amazon basin of Brazil. One recovery of Carajas virus was made from male sand flies. By complement-fixation and neutralization tests both agents were shown to be members of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) serogroup (genus Vesiculovirus). The pathogenicity of the two viruses in mice and Vero cells is similar to that of VSV-Indiana and VSV-New Jersey. Both Carajas and Maraba viruses replicated in Lutzomyia longipalpis following intrathoracic inoculation, and both agents were transovarially transmitted in this sand fly species.