2000 MMWR articles are embargoed until 4 p.m. E.S.T. Thursdays. This report summarizes the investigation of this outbreak. Arenaviruses are rodent-borne enveloped RNA viruses and broken down into two groups, Old World and New World.
Several arenaviruses cause viral hemorrhagic fever syndromes in Africa and South America.
Mus musculus is the only Old World arenavirus that occurs in the Americans. 1998 Standard questions are needed to conduct surveillance of disability at the state and national level. Uniform data are needed to guide public health activities, including the implementation of state Healthy People 2010 objectives. Positive response to either of two questions addressing activity limitations or use of assistive equipment to get around constituted the case definition. The data in this report suggest an expanding zone of epizootic transmission in four northeastern states with viral activity most intense in the NYC area.