Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, 2010-2011

Abstract

Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) is a severe disease caused by Hantaviruses. In the present study, we have analyzed sera of 62 HCPS suspected cases from the region of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, in the period of 2010-2011. Clinical samples of twelve patients were positive, based on both RT-PCR and IgM-ELISA. Hantavirus-infected patients included 8 males and 4 females, 16-57 years old, 3 of whom were rural workers (25%) and one of them related direct contact with wild rodents. The majority of the other patients (75%) lived in the periphery of cities and reported the presence of rodents in their homes. The case fatality ratio of these 12 HCPS cases was 41.6%. Our results confirm that hantaviruses are endemic, with occurrence of HCPS and fatalities, every year, in the region of Ribeirão Preto. More educational and preventive measures are necessary in order to prevent human infections by hantavirus in the region, and other parts of Brazil.