Epidemic hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Yugoslavia, 1986.

An epidemic of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) occurred in Yugoslavia May-November 1986; all Republics and Provinces were involved. Serum samples were received from 260 of 276 persons with symptoms clinically compatible with a diagnosis of HFRS. Presumptive infection with a hantavirus was determined serologically for 161 of these. Many patients with serious clinical pictures, including severe renal insufficiency and shock, were hospitalized; 11 died. Indirect fluorescent antibody tests with antigens of 4 hantaviruses (Hantaan, Fojnica, Puumala, and the Vranica strain of Puumala virus) showed that greater than 1 serotype was circulating during this epidemic. Hantavirus antigens were detected in the lungs of 86 of 302 (28.5%) wild-caught small mammals.

Rapid diagnosis of herpesvirus hominis infection of cervix and vagina before delivery.

The incidence of asymptomatic vaginal and cervical Herpes virus hominis shedding in a group of 51 pregnant women near term was investigated by the method of indirect immunofluorescence. All women were tested serologically by the method of microneutralisation in order to diagnose latent HVH type 1 or HVH type 2 infection. The shedding of HVH, in most cases, was the consequence of the activated HVH latent infection. It was revealed that 13.72% of asymptomatic HVH type 1 shedding was from vagina alone, and 7.27% of asymptomatic HVH type 1 shedding was from cervix alone. The same percentage (17%) of HVH type 2 shedding was revealed from both the vagina and the cervix. All women whose cervical and vaginal smears showed positive HVH type 1 or HVH type 2 immunofluorescence were latently infected. We have no direct data to refuse or confirm the suggestions that Caesarian section is recommended in women with genital herpes. The fact that both vaginal and cervical asymptomatic shedding of HVH occur during pregnancy indicates that these women undergo the virologic examination near term. The evaluation of duration of asymptomatic shedding is needed. Close clinical and virologic observation will markedly reduce both clinical and subclinical HVH infection of the newborn infant. In such circumstances rapid diagnosis of HVH infection becomes extremely important in the pregnant women.