Prevalence of hantavirus infection in wild Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus populations of Buenos Aires City, Argentina.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of infection with hantaviruses in wild Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus populations in areas of Buenos Aires city.


METHODS
Norway rats and black rats were trapped from 2003 to 2005 at 10 sites throughout Buenos Aires city. Blood samples for serological analysis were collected by cardiac puncture from all individuals captured and tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Seoul hantavirus- and Andes virus-specific IgG antibodies.


RESULTS
Hantavirus seroprevalence was 11.9% in R. norvegicus (n = 151), varying between 0% and 26.1% depending on the site. Bigger sexually active males were more likely to be infected with Seoul virus than females or juvenile individuals. No antibody-reactive rodents were detected among 33 R. rattus analysed.


CONCLUSIONS
Hantavirus infections are geographically widespread in Buenos Aires city and confirm that they have been enzootic there for at least 20 years.
Cueto
Gerardo Rubén
GR
Laboratorio de Ecología de Roedores, Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina. gcueto@ege.fcen.uba.ar
Cavia
Regino
R
Bellomo
Carla
C
Padula
Paula Julieta
PJ
Suárez
Olga Virginia
OV
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology*; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D051381:Rats; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D013045:Species Specificity
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G