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Viruses Oct 2021Hantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens that can cause serious human disorders, including hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. As... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Hantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens that can cause serious human disorders, including hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. As the main risk factor for human infections is the interaction with rodents, occupational groups such as farmers and forestry workers are reportedly at high risk, but no summary evidence has been collected to date. Therefore, we searched two different databases (PubMed and EMBASE), focusing on studies reporting the prevalence of hantaviruses in farmers and forestry workers. Data were extracted using a standardized assessment form, and results of such analyses were systematically reported, summarized and compared. We identified a total of 42 articles, including a total of 28 estimates on farmers, and 22 on forestry workers, with a total workforce of 15,043 cases (821 positive cases, 5.5%). A pooled seroprevalence of 3.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.2-6.2) was identified in farmers, compared to 3.8% (95% CI 2.6-5.7) in forestry workers. Compared to the reference population, an increased occurrence was reported for both occupational groups (odds ratio [OR] 1.875, 95% CI 1.438-2.445 and OR 2.892, 95% CI 2.079-4.023 for farmers and forestry workers, respectively). In summary, our analyses stress the actual occurrence of hantaviruses in selected occupational groups. Improved understanding of appropriate preventive measures, as well as further studies on hantavirus infection rates in reservoir host species (rodents, shrews, and bats) and virus transmission to humans, is needed to prevent future outbreaks.
Topics: Agriculture; Animals; Chiroptera; Climate Change; Databases, Factual; Farmers; Forestry; Orthohantavirus; Hantavirus Infections; Humans; Public Health; Rodentia; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Shrews
PubMed: 34834957
DOI: 10.3390/v13112150 -
Microbes and Infection Nov 2001Hantaviruses are rodent-borne bunyaviruses which cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in humans. This review covers the host... (Review)
Review
Hantaviruses are rodent-borne bunyaviruses which cause haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in humans. This review covers the host interactions of the viruses, including the rodent reservoirs, the clinical outcome of human infections as well as the pathogenesis and laboratory diagnosis of infections. The current stage in prophylaxis and therapy of hantaviral diseases is described and different approaches in vaccine development are discussed.
Topics: Animals; Antiviral Agents; Clinical Trials as Topic; Disease Reservoirs; Orthohantavirus; Hantavirus Infections; Host-Parasite Interactions; Humans; Viral Vaccines
PubMed: 11709294
DOI: 10.1016/s1286-4579(01)01474-5 -
Deutsches Arzteblatt International Jul 2013Hantavirus disease is a zoonosis of increasing clinical importance. A new incidence peak was reached in Germany in 2012, with more than 2800 reported cases. These... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Hantavirus disease is a zoonosis of increasing clinical importance. A new incidence peak was reached in Germany in 2012, with more than 2800 reported cases. These viruses are transmitted from small mammals to human beings. The disease begins with high fever and non-pathognomonic manifestations that can end in shock and organ failure.
METHODS
This article is based on a selective literature search, on the authors' experiences at the National Referral Laboratory for Hantavirus Infections (Nationales Konsiliarlaboratorium für Hantaviren), and on published recommendations from Germany and abroad.
RESULTS
Two hantavirus species cause clinically relevant infections in Germany. Puumala virus, which is transmitted by bank voles, causes large outbreaks of disease every 2 to 3 years in the southwestern and western regions of Germany and in the Bavarian Forest. Dobrava-Belgrad virus, transmitted by striped field mice, causes infections in the north and east of the country. Serological tests are available for primary and confirmatory diagnosis; moreover, viral nucleic acids can be amplified in the early phase of illness and compared with the viral nucleic acids from the reservoir hosts of the corresponding type of infection. Infections with American types of hantavirus have ca. 35% case fatality, and hantaviruses from southeastern Europe and Asia are also highly pathogenic; in contrast, the febrile illnesses caused by hantaviruses in Germany are usually relatively mild.
CONCLUSION
When persons living in high-risk areas present with fever of unknown origin or with renal dysfunction of unknown origin, physicians should consider the possibility of a hantavirus infection and should initiate the appropriate diagnostic evaluation.
Topics: Animals; Asia; Disease Outbreaks; Europe; Germany; Hantavirus Infections; Humans; Incidence; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Survival Rate; Zoonoses
PubMed: 23964302
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2013.0461 -
Przeglad Epidemiologiczny 2018Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an acute viral zoonosis occurring due to the hantavirus infection. On the territory it constitutes the only case of viral... (Review)
Review
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an acute viral zoonosis occurring due to the hantavirus infection. On the territory it constitutes the only case of viral hemorrhagic fever. The infections occurring in Poland are mainly caused by the Puumala and Dobrava serotypes. The pathogenetic influence of other Hanta serotypes such as Boginia, Nova and Seewis on humans is still unknown. The endemic territory of the occurrence of the hantavirus infections in Poland is the Podkarpacie region. The morbidity is not high and ranges between 0.02 and 0.14 in every 100 000 but professional literature suggests that the data concerning the territory of Poland is underestimated. So far hantavirus infections have not been reported in other areas of Poland yet the presence of the virus may be excluded. In view of literature and the significant occurrence of Hanta antibodies in patients included in the risk group, it may be claimed that the diseases caused by Hanta virus constitute a significant factor influencing the medical status of the group in focus all over the country.
Topics: Animals; Orthohantavirus; Hantavirus Infections; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome; Humans; Mass Screening; Poland; Rodentia
PubMed: 30810003
DOI: 10.32394/pe.72.4.23 -
Viruses Oct 2022A novel hantavirus, named Kiwira virus, was molecularly detected in six Angolan free-tailed bats (, family Molossidae) captured in Tanzania and in one free-tailed bat in...
A novel hantavirus, named Kiwira virus, was molecularly detected in six Angolan free-tailed bats (, family Molossidae) captured in Tanzania and in one free-tailed bat in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Hantavirus RNA was found in different organs, with the highest loads in the spleen. Nucleotide sequences of large parts of the genomic S and L segments were determined by in-solution hybridisation capture and high throughput sequencing. Phylogenetic analyses placed Kiwira virus into the genus of the family with the bat-infecting Quezon virus and Robina virus as closest relatives. The detection of several infected individuals in two African countries, including animals with systemic hantavirus infection, provides evidence of active replication and a stable circulation of Kiwira virus in bats and points to this species as a natural host. Since the home range covers large regions of Sub-Saharan Africa and the species is known to roost inside and around human dwellings, a potential spillover of the Kiwira virus to humans must be considered.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Orthohantavirus; Chiroptera; Phylogeny; Hantavirus Infections; RNA Viruses; Communicable Diseases; Africa, Central
PubMed: 36366466
DOI: 10.3390/v14112368 -
Viruses Jul 2019Dengue and other common tropical infectious diseases of similar clinical presentation are endemic in Indonesia, which may lead to an underestimation of the prevalence of... (Review)
Review
Dengue and other common tropical infectious diseases of similar clinical presentation are endemic in Indonesia, which may lead to an underestimation of the prevalence of hantavirus (HTV) infection in the country. To better understand the current burden of HTV infection, this study aimed to both identify acute HTV infection among hospitalized patients with fever and to determine the overall seroprevalence of HTV. These results were further considered within the context of previously reported HTV infection in humans and animals in Indonesia by conducting a review of published literature. As part of an observational cohort study of acute febrile illness, this sub-study retrospectively analyzed blood specimens obtained during admission, during the 2-4-week convalescent period, and three months after admission. Convalescent specimens from patients with clinical signs and symptoms of HTV infection were first screened for HTV IgG. When positive, convalescent specimens and paired acute specimens were screened for HTV IgM, and paired acute specimens were tested for HTV by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). A literature review of HTV in Indonesia was conducted on manuscripts manually reviewed for relevance after identification from a search using the terms "hantavirus/Seoul virus" and "Indonesia". From patients at eight hospitals in seven provincial capitals, HTV IgG seroprevalence was 11.6% (38/327), with the highest being in Denpasar (16.3%, 7/43) and the lowest being in Yogyakarta (3.4%, 1/31). Anti-HTV IgG was most prevalent in adults (13.5%, 33/244) and males (15.6%, 29/186). Acute HTV infections were identified in two subjects, both of whom had Seoul virus. In Indonesia, HTVs have been studied in humans and animals since 1984. Over the past 35 years, the reported seroprevalences in rodents ranged from 0% to 34%, and in humans from 0% to 13%. Fourteen acute infections have been reported, including one in a tourist returning to Germany, but only two have been confirmed by RT-PCR. Almost all rodent and human surveillance results demonstrated serological and molecular evidence of Seoul virus infection. However, in Semarang, anti-Puumala virus IgM has been detected in humans and Puumala RNA in one rodent. In Serang, a new virus named Serang virus was identified due to its differences from Seoul virus. In Maumere, HTV and were identified simultaneously in rodents. The burden of HTV infection in Indonesia is underestimated, and additional studies are needed to understand the true prevalence. Seroprevalence data reported here, previous observations of HTV co-infections in rodents, and the prevalence of rodent-borne bacterial infections in Indonesia suggest that the population may be routinely encountering HTVs. While Seoul virus appears to be the most prevalent HTV in the country, further studies are needed to understand which HTVs are circulating.
Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Animals; Antibodies, Viral; Child; Cost of Illness; Endemic Diseases; Epidemiological Monitoring; Female; Orthohantavirus; Hantavirus Infections; Hospitalization; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin M; Indonesia; Male; Retrospective Studies; Rodentia; Seroepidemiologic Studies
PubMed: 31370291
DOI: 10.3390/v11080698 -
Viruses Feb 2022Hantaviruses are enveloped viruses that possess a tri-segmented, negative-sense RNA genome. The viral S-segment encodes the multifunctional nucleocapsid protein (N),...
Hantaviruses are enveloped viruses that possess a tri-segmented, negative-sense RNA genome. The viral S-segment encodes the multifunctional nucleocapsid protein (N), which is involved in genome packaging, intracellular protein transport, immunoregulation, and several other crucial processes during hantavirus infection. In this study, we generated fluorescently tagged N protein constructs derived from Puumalavirus (PUUV), the dominant hantavirus species in Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe. We comprehensively characterized this protein in the rodent cell line CHO-K1, monitoring the dynamics of N protein complex formation and investigating co-localization with host proteins as well as the viral glycoproteins Gc and Gn. We observed formation of large, fibrillar PUUV N protein aggregates, rapidly coalescing from early punctate and spike-like assemblies. Moreover, we found significant spatial correlation of N with vimentin, actin, and P-bodies but not with microtubules. N constructs also co-localized with Gn and Gc albeit not as strongly as the glycoproteins associated with each other. Finally, we assessed oligomerization of N constructs, observing efficient and concentration-dependent multimerization, with complexes comprising more than 10 individual proteins.
Topics: Glycoproteins; Orthohantavirus; Hantavirus Infections; Humans
PubMed: 35336863
DOI: 10.3390/v14030457 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Feb 2021We report 3 cases of Puumala virus infection in a family in Switzerland in January 2019. Clinical manifestations of the infection ranged from mild influenza-like illness...
We report 3 cases of Puumala virus infection in a family in Switzerland in January 2019. Clinical manifestations of the infection ranged from mild influenza-like illness to fatal disease. This cluster illustrates the wide range of clinical manifestations of Old World hantavirus infections and the challenge of diagnosing travel-related hemorrhagic fevers.
Topics: Orthohantavirus; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome; Humans; Puumala virus; Switzerland; Travel; Travel-Related Illness
PubMed: 33496646
DOI: 10.3201/eid2702.203770 -
Viruses Aug 2016Hantaviruses, like other members of the Bunyaviridae family, are emerging viruses that are able to cause hemorrhagic fevers. Occasional transmission to humans is due to... (Review)
Review
Hantaviruses, like other members of the Bunyaviridae family, are emerging viruses that are able to cause hemorrhagic fevers. Occasional transmission to humans is due to inhalation of contaminated aerosolized excreta from infected rodents. Hantaviruses are asymptomatic in their rodent or insectivore natural hosts with which they have co-evolved for millions of years. In contrast, hantaviruses cause different pathologies in humans with varying mortality rates, depending on the hantavirus species and its geographic origin. Cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) have been reported in Europe and Asia, while hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndromes (HCPS) are observed in the Americas. In some cases, diseases caused by Old World hantaviruses exhibit HCPS-like symptoms. Although the etiologic agents of HFRS were identified in the early 1980s, the way hantaviruses interact with their different hosts still remains elusive. What are the entry receptors? How do hantaviruses propagate in the organism and how do they cope with the immune system? This review summarizes recent data documenting interactions established by pathogenic and nonpathogenic hantaviruses with their natural or human hosts that could highlight their different outcomes.
Topics: Animals; Orthohantavirus; Hantavirus Infections; Host-Pathogen Interactions; Humans
PubMed: 27529272
DOI: 10.3390/v8080223 -
Journal of Internal Medicine May 2019Two related hyperinflammatory syndromes are distinguished following infection of humans with hantaviruses: haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) seen in Eurasia... (Review)
Review
Innate and adaptive immune responses against human Puumala virus infection: immunopathogenesis and suggestions for novel treatment strategies for severe hantavirus-associated syndromes.
Two related hyperinflammatory syndromes are distinguished following infection of humans with hantaviruses: haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) seen in Eurasia and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) seen in the Americas. Fatality rates are high, up to 10% for HFRS and around 35%-40% for HPS. Puumala virus (PUUV) is the most common HFRS-causing hantavirus in Europe. Here, we describe recent insights into the generation of innate and adaptive cell-mediated immune responses following clinical infection with PUUV. First described are studies demonstrating a marked redistribution of peripheral blood mononuclear phagocytes (MNP) to the airways, a process that may underlie local immune activation at the site of primary infection. We then describe observations of an excessive natural killer (NK) cell activation and the persistence of highly elevated numbers of NK cells in peripheral blood following PUUV infection. A similar vigorous CD8 Tcell response is also described, though Tcell responses decline with viraemia. Like MNPs, many NK cells and CD8 T cells also localize to the lung upon acute PUUV infection. Following this, findings demonstrating the ability of hantaviruses, including PUUV, to cause apoptosis resistance in infected target cells, are described. These observations, and associated inflammatory cytokine responses, may provide new insights into HFRS and HPS disease pathogenesis. Based on similarities between inflammatory responses in severe hantavirus infections and other hyperinflammatory disease syndromes, we speculate whether some therapeutic interventions that have been successful in the latter conditions may also be applicable in severe hantavirus infections.
Topics: Adaptive Immunity; Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Puumala virus; Severity of Illness Index
PubMed: 30663801
DOI: 10.1111/joim.12876