title: Seroprevalence of hantavirus antibodies among chronic hemodialysis patients in the Czech Republic.
abstract: A total of 348 serum samples were collected from 301 hemodialysis patients with chronic renal failure of four healthcare settings in Western Bohemia. The sera were screened for the presence of hantavirus antibodies using ELISA kits (PROGEN Biotechnik GmbH) with Hantaan and Puumala antigens. Specific anti-Puumala antibodies were detected in five patients (1.7%). Although hantaviruses are known to cause primarily acute renal damage (interstitial nephritis) in Eurasia, chronic effects of hantavirus infection and the detection of specific antibodies in hemodialysis patients have also been reported. Nonetheless, the detection of seropositivity is not proof of an etiological link between hantaviruses and chronic renal failure. The hantavirus seropositivity rate in hemodialysis patients was not significantly higher than that in the general population. Our findings are consistent with the literature data and do not contradict the contribution of hantaviruses to the pathogenesis of chronic renal damage in the Czech Republic.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Prague.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pejcoch
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pazdiora
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eiselt
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hájek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Veselá
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vlasák
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benesová
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kubátová
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kríz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral