Hantaviruses in rodents and humans, Xi’an, PR China

Abstract

Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi province, located in north-west China, is one of the major endemic areas for haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). In this study, the epidemiological data of HFRS in Xi'an from 1959 to 2010, especially in the past ten years (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010), were surveyed. The features of hantavirus (HV) host carriers, the molecular characteristics of the HV S gene from hosts and patients, and the genome of the viral isolate were also investigated. Data showed that there might be a ten-year cycle of HFRS in Xi'an. Although the main population group infected over the past ten years was still the 16-59-year-old male farmers, the composition of the population and geographical distribution of HFRS cases have changed slowly, accompanied by the development of environmental and socio-economic situations. Apodemus agrarius remains the dominant host of HV. The HV strains from host rodents and patients in Xi'an belonged to the Hantaan virus (HTNV); no Seoul virus strains were found. Phylogenetic analysis of the small segments of strains taken from hosts and patients, and the whole genome of a viral isolate showed that the virus circulating in Xi'an had high similarity to Guizhou strains. The study also indicated that the vaccine candidate strain A16 isolated during the past century in Xi'an might be a recombinant strain of HTNV and the Amur virus, thus it may not be an optimal vaccine strain.

Interannual cycles of Hantaan virus outbreaks at the human–animal interface in Central China are controlled by temperature and rainfall

“…Serum samples were sent to the Shaanxi Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the detection of hantavirusreactive antibodies. Serological and genetic analyses confirmed that all HFRS cases were caused by HTNV (25,45). In our study, epidemiological data were collected from the Shaanxi Provincial Notifiable Disease Surveillance System.…”

Sustained High Level of Serum VEGF at Convalescent Stage Contributes to the Renal Recovery after HTNV Infection in Patients with Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome

“…Hantaan virus (HTNV), the prototype of the Hantavirus genus, is a rodent-borne pathogen which could cause severe hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in human with a mortality rate up to 10% mainly in Asia [1, 2]. Plasma leakage is a hallmark of the syndrome, which is characterized by acute thrombocytopenia, the loss of vascular integrity, and enhanced vascular permeability, leading to hemorrhage in patient days to weeks after infection [3, 4].…”

Effects of Humidity Variation on the Hantavirus Infection and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome Occurrence in Subtropical China

“…Detailed procedures can be found in published articles. 20 Data on reported HFRS cases in the study area from 2007 to 2010 were obtained from the Hunan Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (HNDSS). All of the cases were initially diagnosed based on clinical symptoms according to diagnostic criteria from the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China.…”