/ahr'en ay"vuy'reuhs/ , n. , pl. arenaviruses .
any of various RNA-containing viruses of the family Arenaviridae, usu. transmitted to humans by contact with excreta of infected rodents.
[ 1971; earlier arenovirus (1970) (h)aren(a) sand + -O- + VIRUS; so called from the RNA granules seen in cross sections of the virion ]