Epidemiology of Hantavirus Infection in Thousand Islands Regency of Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent-borne zoonotic disease caused by hantavirus infection. Many HFRS cases have been reported in East Asia and North Europe, while the situation in Southeast Asia remains unclear. In this study, the prevalence of hantavirus infection in rodents and humans in Thousand Islands regency, which is close to the port of Jakarta, one of the largest historic ports in Indonesia, was investigated. A total of 170 rodents were captured in 2005, and 27 (15.9%) of the rodents were antibody-positive against Hantaan virus antigen in an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and Western blotting. Despite the high prevalence in rodents, human sera collected from 31 patients with fever of unknown origin and 20 healthy volunteers in the islands in 2009 did not show positive reaction to the antigen in IFA. To identify the virus in rodents genetically, a total of 59 rodents were captured in 2009. Sera from the rodents were screened for antibody by ELISA, and lung tissues were subjected to RT-PCR. 20 (33.9%) of the 59 rodents were antibody-positive, and 3 of those 20 rodents were positive for S and M genome segments of hantaviruses. Genetic analysis showed that the viruses belonged to Seoul virus and formed a cluster with those in Vietnam and Singapore. These results suggest that a unique group of Seoul viruses has spread widely in Southeast Asia.

Rodent Species Distribution and Hantavirus Seroprevalence in Residential and Forested areas of Sarawak, Malaysia

“…However, the seroprevalence and infection of hantavirus in rodent and human populations of East Malaysia are still largely unknown. There were also several reported cases of rodents infected with hantavirus in neighbouring countries [i.e., China (Lin et al 2012;Wang et al 2000), South Korea (Lim et al 2012), Singapore (Wong et al 1985(Wong et al ,1988Johannson et al 2010), Indonesia (Plyusnina et al 2009;Ibrahim et al 2013), Thailand, Cambodia and Lao PDR (Nitatpattana et al 2000;Reynes et al 2003;Blasdell et al 2011Blasdell et al , 2016], which suggested that there was a possibility for the circulation of hantavirus in the rodent populations in East Malaysia.…”

Hantavirus Infection on Rats in the Leptospirosis Increased Case Area in Tangerang Regency

“…However, the result of study in Indonesia revealed various results. The percentage of positive hantavirus infection on R. norvegicus was between 8.2% to 44.7% [5,14,15]. Higher percentage of hantavirus infection on R. norvegicus in the study site showed that the site had a high risk for Hantavirus transmission.…”

“…Rats are the main reservoir host of hantavirus and leptospirosis infection [3][4][5]. The transmission of hantavirus infection and leptospirosis is related to one's exposure with the rats and its feces [6].…”

“…Based on the same study, there are 7 kinds of rats as the main reservoir hosts of Hantavirus and leptospirosis in Indonesia i.e. R. norvegicus, R. tanezumi, R. exulans, R. argentiventer R. tiomanicus, Bandicota indica, and Maxomys surifer [5,9]. As epidemiologist and clinical manifestation they have similar symptoms.…”

Importation of Human Seoul Virus Infection to Germany from Indonesia

“…Although SEOV strains are found in ports and countries with overseas traffic, no SEOV infections of rats or humans have been reported in Sulawesi in Indonesia. SEOV RNA in rats, but no proof of human infections, was reported in Jakarta, on the island of Java in Indonesia ( 10 , 11 ). …”