title: Disease burden of Puumala virus infections, 1995-2008.
abstract: Puumala virus (PUUV) causes mild haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, a rodent-borne zoonosis. To evaluate the disease burden of PUUV infections in Finland, we analysed data reported by laboratories to the National Infectious Disease Registry during 1995-2008 and compared these with data from other national registries (death, 1998-2007; hospital discharge, 1996-2007; occupational diseases, 1995-2006). A total of 22,681 cases were reported (average annual incidence 31/100,000 population); 85% were in persons aged 20-64 years and 62% were males. There was an increasing trend in incidence, and the rates varied widely by season and region. We observed 13 deaths attributable to PUUV infection (case-fatality proportion 0.08%). Of all cases, 9599 (52%) were hospitalized. Only 590 cases (3%) were registered as occupational disease, of which most were related to farming and forestry. The wide seasonal and geographical variation is probably related to rodent density and human behaviour.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Department of Infectious Disease Surveillance and Control, Helsinki, Finland. peter.makary@thl.fi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Makary
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanerva
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ollgren
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Virtanen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vapalahti
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lyytikäinen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006480:Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D029262:Puumala virus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012621:Seasons; D055815:Young Adult