title: Hantavirus infection and habitat associations among rodent populations in agroecosystems of Panama: implications for human disease risk.
abstract: Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS), which is caused by infection with Choclo virus, is uncommon in Panama, yet seropositivity among rural residents is as high as 60%. To clarify the environmental risk factors favoring rodent-to-human transmission, we tested serum from 3,067 rodents captured over a five-year period for antibodies against recombinant N protein of hantavirus by enzyme immunoassay and strip immunoblot. Among 220 seropositive rodents, Oligoryzomys fulvescens, the reservoir of Choclo virus, had the highest overall seroprevalence (23.5%); more abundant rodents (Zygodontomys brevicauda and Sigmodon hirsutus) had lower seroprevalences. In the mixed (combined modern and traditional) productive agroecosystem, the highest seroprevalence was among O. fulvescens captured in residences and in crops grown within 40 meters of a residence, with significantly lower seroprevalence in adjacent pasture and non-productive vegetation. Thus, crop habitats may serve as refugia for invasion into adjacent human residences and suggests several interventions to reduce human infection.
authors: Department of Population Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55108, USA. armie001@umn.edu
authors: Aníbal G
authors: AG
authors: Armién
authors: Blas
authors: B
authors: Armién
authors: Frederick
authors: F
authors: Koster
authors: Juan M
authors: JM
authors: Pascale
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Avila
authors: Publio
authors: P
authors: Gonzalez
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: de la Cruz
authors: Yamitzel
authors: Y
authors: Zaldivar
authors: Yaxelis
authors: Y
authors: Mendoza
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Gracia
authors: Brian
authors: B
authors: Hjelle
authors: Sang-Joon
authors: SJ
authors: Lee
authors: Terry L
authors: TL
authors: Yates
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Salazar-Bravo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000821:virology; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010176:Panama; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012377:Rodentia / Q000821:virology*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000821:virology; D015047:Zoonoses / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral