Seroepidemiologic studies of hantavirus infection among wild rodents in California.
A total of 4,626 mammals were serologically tested for antibodies to Sin Nombre virus. All nonrodent species were antibody negative. Among wild rodents, antibody prevalence was 8.5% in murids, 1.4% in heteromyids, and < 0.1% in sciurids. Of 1,921 Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mice), 226 (11.8%) were antibody positive, including one collected in 1975. The highest antibody prevalence (71.4% of 35) was found among P. maniculatus on Santa Cruz Island, off the southern California coast. Prevalence of antibodies among deer mice trapped near sites of human cases (26.8% of 164) was significantly higher than that of mice from other sites (odds ratio = 4.5; 95% confidence interval = 1.7, 11.6). Antibody prevalence increased with rising elevation (> 1,200 meters) and correlated with a spatial cluster of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases in the Sierra Nevada.
Jay
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M
California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, USA.
Ascher
M S
MS
Chomel
B B
BB
Madon
M
M
Sesline
D
D
Enge
B A
BA
Hjelle
B
B
Ksiazek
T G
TG
Rollin
P E
PE
Kass
P H
PH
Reilly
K
K
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000276:immunology; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006801:Humans; D010542:Peromyscus; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral