title: Hantavirus infection in people inhabiting a highly endemic region of the Gran Chaco territory, Paraguay: association with Trypanosoma cruzi infection, epidemiological features and haematological characteristics.
abstract: The seroprevalences of anti-hantavirus antibodies were determined in 712 individuals (551 Indians, 140 Mennonites of German ancestry, and 21 Paraguayans of Spanish ancestry) inhabiting a region of western Paraguay in the Gran Chaco territory of South America. The overall seroprevalence of hantavirus infection among the 712 subjects, who were aged 2-80 years, was 42.7% (45.2% in the Indians and 34.2% in the non-Indians). Of the 672 subjects also checked for antibodies against Trypanosoma cruzi, 226 (33.6%) were seropositive for this protozoan parasite. The results of a multivariate regression analysis indicated that, after adjusting for age, sex, setting of residence (rural/urban) and infection with the human T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma virus type II (HTLV-II), a T. cruzi-seropositive individual was 1.73 times more likely to be hantavirus seropositive than a T. cruzi-seronegative individual. Living in a rural setting increased the risk of being hantavirus seropositive 2.17-fold. In both the Indians and non-Indian subpopulations, hantavirus seroprevalence increased with age in both sexes, but only in the non-Indian supopulation was this increase significantly greater in males than in females. Hantavirus seropositivity was significantly associated with thrombocytosis, even after adjusting for the relevant confounders.
authors.affiliation: New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania, 382 West Street Road, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA. jfferrer@vet.upenn.edu
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Galligan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murua
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thakuri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Poiesz
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jonsson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015153:Blotting, Western; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010239:Paraguay / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution