The virus has a distinct econiche. The virus displays a fourfold or greater difference in cross-neutralization with all other hantaviruses in cell culture assays such as a plaque reduction neutralization test or a focus reduction neutralization assay. If NT is not available, other antigenic tests will be used. C. Comparison of the complete M and S segment gene sequences of the species indicates differences in amino acids equivalent to those observed among antigenically distinct viruses. At least partial gene sequence has been obtained for the L segment, in order to rule out the possibility that the virus is the result of segment reassortment.
Preliminary sequence analyses, however, suggests that they are unique viruses.
Such analyses generally consist of comparisons of nucleotide or deduced amino acid sequences from only one complete genome segment or comparison of partial sequences from one or more segments.