[Seroprevalence of antibodies against hantavirus in 10 communities of the IX Region of Chile where hantavirus infection were diagnosed].
BACKGROUND
Thirty six cases of clinical Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome occurred in the IX Region of Chile. Most of these patients were young males, farm or timber workers, who lived near the Andes Mountain chain.


OBJECTIVE
To conduct an epidemiological and serosurvey study to determine the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against Hantavirus in the general adult population living in rural and urban areas of 10 endemic communities of the IX region of Chile.


METHODS
A total of 400 subjects were included, 40 of each community, 20 rural residents and 20 urban residents, 20 males and 20 females.


RESULTS
Seroprevalence was 7.5% in Melipeuco, 5.0% in Lonquimay, 2.5% in Curacautin, 2.5% in Pucón and 0.0% in the remaining communities. Seroprevalence was higher in rural population (2.5%) than in the urban areas (1%). All seropositive subjects worked in farms or forests and observed rodents near their homes or working places. Females were affected the same as males and no differences were observed between Chilean natives and Hispanics.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence of Hantavirus antibodies correlated with the geographic zone (Andes Mountain chain), overgrowth of wild rodents and exposure to rodent-infested environments.
Castillo
Constanza
C
Departamento de Medicina Interna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Frontera, M. Montt 116 Temuco, Chile. eureka@telsur.cl
Sanhueza
Ligia
L
Täger
Marlies
M
Muñoz
Sergio
S
Ossa
Gonzalo
G
Vial
Pablo
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018804:Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012377:Rodentia; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G
Prevalencia de anticuerpos anti-hantavirus en 10 comunas de la novena Región de Chile donde se han diagnosticade casos de infección clínica por hantavirus.