title: Genetic detection of hantaviruses in rodents, Albania.
abstract: In order to have a first insight into the epidemiology of hantaviruses in Albania, 263 small mammals (248 rodents, 15 insectivores) were captured in 352 locations in 29 districts and tested for hantavirus infection. Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV) was detected in 10 of 148 (6.7%) Apodemus flavicollis rodents. DOBV-positive A. flavicollis were detected in six districts (Diber, Korce, Kolonje, Librazhd, Pogradec, and Vlore). The obtained nucleotide sequences were highly similar to each other and to DOBV sequences from northwestern Greece. Understanding the epidemiology of hantaviruses and identifying the endemic foci enables the public health strategies to minimize the risk of human infection. J. Med. Virol. 88:1309-1313, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases Control, Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Elton
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rogozi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases Control, Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Enkelejda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Velo
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases Control, Institute of Public Health, Tirana, Albania.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bino
mesh_terms: D000415:Albania / Q000453:epidemiology; D000818:Animals; D004197:Disease Reservoirs / Q000821:virology; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D012377:Rodentia / Q000821:virology*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: Albania; hantavirus; rodents