title: Hantavirus infections in humans and commensal rodents in Singapore.
abstract: To determine the extent of hantavirus infection in Singapore, serological studies using the indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test were conducted on commensal rodents and on human patients in 4 diagnostic groups. Virus isolation using a Vero E6 cell line was performed on hantaviral antigen-positive rodent lung tissue. Of 142 rodents and 3 insectivores studied, 37 (26%) were seropositive for IFA. Rattus norvegicus was the predominant species captured, with the highest species-specific seropositive rate of 32% (36 of 113). A hantavirus strain, R36, was isolated from one R. norvegicus. Seropositive rates for human patients were: 8% respectively for dengue haemorrhagic fever suspects and for non-A non-B hepatitis patients, 3% for leptospirosis suspects and 2% for acute nephritis patients. 2 patients had marked liver dysfunction but mild renal involvement. This hepatitis-like manifestation appears to be a clinical variant of hantavirus infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community, National University of Singapore.
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Y C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Y G
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yanagihara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D007312:Eulipotyphla / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006480:Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000662:veterinary; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000276:immunology; D009115:Muridae / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral