Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (
HFRS), also known as mice
fever is an acute
viral zoonosis and it appears in the natural focus after the human contact with Hantaan virus infected mice. The objective (purpose) of this study was to investigate the prevalence of specific
antibodies in
HFRS, in convalescent persons (collective immunity in endemic hearths). In this project we applied the epidemiological method of studying with retrospective-perspective, the serological method for determination and detecting
antibodies from the persons of epidemical focus and statistical methods. The disease diagnosis is based on the epidemiological, clinical and serological records. The collected samples have been sent to referral laboratory in Medical Faculty-Institute of Microbiology Ljubljana for laboratory confirmation. From the results we came to conclusion that in the territory of Republic of Kosovo, the
HFRS is still a serious health, economic and
biological problem. The lethality rate from
HFRS in 1986 was 15.4%, 1986-89 10.8%, from 1995-2006 8.70%. The lowest rates of morbidity, mortality and lethality of
HFRS compared with the previous periods of time, prove collective immunity growth in Dukagjini valley. For collective immunity research and to conduct the persistence of
antibodies for viral corresponding (relative)
antigen, after the disease, the samples were collected in the time period of May-June 2008, with 203 persons that were tested with serological method IIF (Indirect immune fluorescence) from which 187 cases (92.1%) resulted sero-negative and 16 cases (7.9%) resulted sero-positive with
HFRS. This proves the collective immunity increase for
HFRS. From 13 recovered patients previously diagnosed with
HFRS (1986-1989-1995), levels of
antibodies were screened in 2008 with IIF. Out of 13 persons, positive
antibodies were found in 10 cases, while 3 cases were negative for
antibodies (HTN, PUU, and DOB). After 13, 19 and 22 years HTN, PUU and DOB
antibodies persisted in level (1:16-1:512). Based on the gathered results, we came to conclusion that it is necessary to compile the National Strategy of Surveillance for the Kosovo Health System for a 5 year period, for avoiding this high risk disease.