Outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Los Santos, Panama, 1999-2000.
An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome occurred in the province of Los Santos, Panama, in late 1999 and early 2000. Eleven cases were identified; 9 were confirmed by serology. Three cases were fatal; however, no confirmed case-patient died. Case-neighborhood serologic surveys resulted in an overall hantavirus antibody prevalence of 13% among household and neighborhood members from the outbreak foci. Epidemiologic investigations did not suggest person-to-person transmission of hantavirus infection. By use of Sin Nombre virus antigen, hantavirus antibodies were detected in Oligoryzomys fulvescens and Zygodontomys brevicauda cherriei. This outbreak resulted in the first documented cases of human hantavirus infections in Central America.
Bayard
Vicente
V
Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, Panama City, Panama.
Kitsutani
Paul T
PT
Barria
Eduardo O
EO
Ruedas
Luis A
LA
Tinnin
David S
DS
Muñoz
Carlos
C
de Mosca
Itza B
IB
Guerrero
Gladys
G
Kant
Rudick
R
Garcia
Arsenio
A
Caceres
Lorenzo
L
Gracio
Fernando G
FG
Quiroz
Evelia
E
de Castillo
Zoila
Z
Armien
Blas
B
Libel
Marlo
M
Mills
James N
JN
Khan
Ali S
AS
Nichol
Stuart T
ST
Rollin
Pierre E
PE
Ksiazek
Thomas G
TG
Peters
Clarence J
CJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D005260:Female; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000276:immunology; D018804:Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010176:Panama / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012377:Rodentia / Q000821:virology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral