Prevalencia de anticuerpos anti hantavirus en 10 comunas de la Novena Región de Chile donde se han diagnosticado casos de infección clínica por hantavirus / Seroprevalence of antibodies anti-hantavirus in 10 communities of the IX region of Chile where hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome cases were reported

Background: Thirty six cases of clinical Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome occurred in the IX Region of Chile. Most of these patients were young males, farm or timber workers, who lived near the Andes Mountain chain. Aim: To conduct an epidemiological and serosurvey study to determine the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against Hantavirus in the general adult population living in rural and urban areas of 10 endemic communities of the IX region of Chile. Material and methods: A total of 400 subjects were included, 40 of each community, 20 rural residents and 20 urban residents, 20 males and 20 females. Results: Seroprevalence was 7.5 percent in Melipeuco, 5.0 percent in Lonquimay, 2.5 percent in Curacautin, 2.5 percent in Puc-n and 0.0 percent in the remaining communities. Seroprevalence was higher in rural population (2.5 percent) than in the urban areas (1 percent). All seropositive subjects worked in farms or forests and observed rodents near their homes or working places. Females were affected the same as males and no differences were observed between Chilean natives and Hispanics. Conclusions: Prevalence of Hantavirus antibodies correlated with the geographic zone (Andes Mountain chain), overgrowth of wild rodents and exposure to rodent-infested environments

Sindrome pulmonar por hantavirus en la provincia de Buenos Aires / Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Buenos Aires Province

En Argentina los primeros casos de Síndrome Pulmonar por Hantavirus (SPH) se caracterizaron en 1995 y apartir de entonces es el país de Sudamérica con mayor número de casos notificados. Esta enfermadad se distribuye en varias provincias del país en las zonas Norte, Sur y Centro siendo, en esta última, Buenos Aires la provincia más afectada. En este estudio presentamos la distribución geográfica y estacional de casos de SPH, su asociación a los diversos linajes virales presentes y características serológicas de la infección por hantavirus en la provincia de Buenos Aires entre los años de 1997 y el primer semestre del 2000. Se observó un aumento del número de casos de SPH hasta 1999 y un gradual descenso de la mortalidad en todo el período. Los casos ocurrieron entre primavera y otoño, con el máximo en verano. Se estudió la respuesta serológica en 58 casos confirmados de SPH a distintos tiempos después del inicio de la enfermedad. Los genomas virales provenientes de 39 casos fueron caracterizados como virus Andes (AND): AND Cent Plata 16 porciento, AND Cent Lec 21 porciento y AND Cent Bs.As. 60 porciento. La Plata fue el único partido donde cocircularon linajes. Estos resultados contribuirán a estabelecer un mapa de riesgo que permita optimizar las estrategias de prevención.

Hantavirus / Hantavirus

Contiene una descripción de la epidemia de hantavirus en la República de Panamá, como también la orientación general de política de salud, la hipótesis de trabajo y líneas de acción propuestas, propuestas de lineamientos del plan y recomendaciones para su ejecución

Prevalencia de anticuerpos anti-hantavirus en personal de salud en contacto directo con pacientes portadores del síndrome pulmonar por hantavirus, Temuco, 1997 a 1999 / Prevalence of hantavirus antibodies in health care workers exposed to patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome at Temuco, Chile

Background: An outbreak of Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HVCS) caused by the Andes virus, affected Chile since 1995. Antibodies to Hantavirus in health care workers who had cared patients with HVCS in Coyhaique, Argentinean reports and familial clustering of hantaviral illness, raised the possibility of person to person transmission. Familial clustering could occur secondary to a similar exposure to a common infected environment of more than one member of the family. Moreover, the prevalence of antibodies in health care workers in Coyhaique does not differ from the prevalence in general population in that region. Aim: To study the prevalence of antibodies to Hantavirus in health care workers exposed to body fluids of 20 patients. Material and methods: Among health care workers exposed to patients with HVCS, we registered information about the exposure to patients and to the environment outside the hospital in which they could have been infected. IgG antibodies against Hantavirus were measured by ELISA using two dilutions. Results: Sixty seven workers were studied. Of these, 73 percent were exposed.to respiratory secretions and blood, 21 percent to blood and 6 percent to respiratory secretions. Only 6 percent protected themselves properly, 49 percent used facial masks and gloves, 25 percent only facial masks, 7 percent only gloves and 12 percent used no protection measures. In none of these workers, Hantavirus antibodies were detected. Conclusions: These results are supporting evidence against person to person transmission of the Andes virus