Serological evidence of hantavirus infections in Malaysia.

Abstract

Hantaviruses are primarily rodent-borne and transmission is by inhalation of virus-contaminated aerosols of rodent excreta, especially urine and saliva. The genus Hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae, comprises at least 14 serotypes and the symptoms of clinical illness range from mild fever to severe hemorrhagic manifestations with renal complications. Many countries in Southeast Asia are unaware of the importance of hantavirus infections and give them low priority. Malaysia, like other countries in the region, has conducted very few studies on the epidemiology of hantaviruses - and even these were conducted in the 1980s. Using a more extensive range of hantavirus antigens, we conducted a seroprevalence study of rodents and humans and found further evidence of hantavirus infections. Moreover, the data from the antibody profiles strongly suggest the presence of different hantaviruses at the study sites.

• Authors: S K Lam, K B Chua, T Myshrall, S Devi, D Zainal, S A Afifi, K Nerome, Y K Chu, H W Lee
• Journal: The Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health (Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health) Vol. 32 Issue 4 Pg. 809-13 (Dec 2001) ISSN: 0125-1562 [Print] Thailand
• PMID: 12041558 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Viral

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Viral (blood)
• Orthohantavirus (immunology)
• Hantavirus Infections (diagnosis, epidemiology)
• Humans
• Malaysia (epidemiology)
• Rats
• Seroepidemiologic Studies