An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in western Paraguay.
During an investigation of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Paraguay in 1995, sera from persons with HPS-like illness, houshold contacts of confirmed HPS case-patients, and a sample of the area residents were analyzed by ELISA for antibodies to Sin Nombre virus (SNV). Rodent serosurveys and analysis of precipitation records were also conducted. Twenty-three of 24 available probable cases were SNV antibody-positive, 17 of whom were ill between July 1995 and January 1996. Four (14.8%) of 27 case-contacts and 44 (12.8%) of 345 community residents were also seropositive. Calomys laucha (vesper mouse) was the most common rodent species captured and the most frequently SNV-seropositive. Rainfall in May 1995 was 10-fold greater than that seen in May over the preceding 11 years. This 17 case-cluster represents the largest documented outbreak since HPS was first recognized in 1993. Calomys laucha is the likely primary rodent reservoir for a SNV-like hantavirus in western Paraguay. Fluctuations in monthly precipitation rates may have contributed to increased risk for HPS in this region.
Williams
R J
RJ
Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, and Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Bryan
R T
RT
Mills
J N
JN
Palma
R E
RE
Vera
I
I
De Velasquez
F
F
Baez
E
E
Schmidt
W E
WE
Figueroa
R E
RE
Peters
C J
CJ
Zaki
S R
SR
Khan
A S
AS
Ksiazek
T G
TG
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018804:Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010239:Paraguay / Q000453:epidemiology; D011891:Rain; D012377:Rodentia / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral