Molecular Epidemiological and Serological Studies of Hantavirus Infection in Northern Vietnam

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The distribution of anti-hantavirus antibodies in humans and rodents in northern Vietnam was examined. In total, 837 serum samples from healthy humans (617) and patients with fever (220), living in six different areas were screened for IgG antibodies against Hantaan or Seoul virus (SEOV) by ELISA, IFA, and Western blot analysis. Antibody-positive sera were identified in 7/617 (1.1%) healthy donors, 5/150 port workers in the port of Hai Phong, and 2/185 residents of Ha Nam Province. In comparison, positive sera were detected in 5/220 (2.3%) fever patients in the provinces of Ha Nam (1/58) and Thanh Hoa (4/146). Antibody-positive Rattus norvegicus were found in the provinces of Ha Nam (7/52) and Thanh Hoa (1/67), in Haibatrung District (7/43) in Hanoi, and in Hai Phong Port (21/62), while antibody-positive R. rattus (2/17) were found in Hai Phong Port. Part of the Gc region from the viral genome was amplified by RT-PCR using lung tissue samples from R. norvegicus in Haibatrung (2/7) and Hai Phong Port (7/9), but not from R. rattus (0/2). Viral sequences were located in the SEOV clade and formed a single lineage with Indonesian SEOV, suggesting that Vietnamese SEOV is part of a distinct lineage among Asian SEOVs.

Hantavirus infection: a global zoonotic challenge

“…Among those viruses, THAIV can cause disease in humans (Pattamadilok et al, 2006;Gamage et al, 2011). Epizootiology studies have reported the presence of rats in Vietnam and Singapore with antibodies against SEOV (Truong et al, 2009;Johansson et al, 2010). SEOV has also been detected in rodents from Indonesia (Ibrahim et al, 1996).…”

“…SEOV infection, like dengue fever, has also been reported in Malaysia (Hamidon and Saadiah, 2003). Serological evidence of hantavirus infections in humans, particularly in patients with fever of unknown origin, has been reported in Vietnam, Singapore, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia (Rollin et al, 1986;Lam et al, 2001;Groen et al, 2002;Truong et al, 2009). In Thailand, cases of coinfection with hantavirus and leptospirosis have been detected (Gamage et al, 2011).…”

Cross-Reactivity of Secondary Antibodies against African Rodents and Application for Sero-Surveillance

“…Seroprevalence described in this study can not be directly compared to the published results of serological studies on reservoir rodents [1,9,16], because detection accuracy may be different. However, this is the first report of the existence of hantavirus in the eastern Africa.…”

Studies on Hantavirus Infection in Small Mammals Captured in Southern and Central Highland Area of Vietnam

“…In other East Asian countries, such as Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and India, prevalence of SEOV and THAIV infection has been shown among rodents and humans [2,3,6,13,14,16,17,22].…”

“…Furthermore, we have reported a HFRS case of SEOV infection in Ho Chi Min City (HCMC) [2]. Interestingly, seropositive persons in rural areas were suspected to have been infected with a hantavirus that was antigenically different from previously reported hantaviruses such as SEOV, HTNV and THAIV [22]. That report indicated that a variety of novel hantaviruses might exist in Vietnam.…”