Neutralizing Antibodies in Survivors of Sin Nombre and Andes Hantavirus Infection

Abstract

We evaluated titers of homotypic and heterotypic neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) to Andes and Sin Nombre hantaviruses in plasma samples from 20 patients from Chile and the United States. All but 1 patient had high titers of NAb. None of the plasma samples showed high titers against the heterologous virus.

Incidence Rate for Hantavirus Infections without Pulmonary Syndrome, Panama

“…For HPS caused by Sin Nombre and Andes viruses, serum antibody typically persists for years ( 13 ). Serum antibodies after mild or asymptomatic infections may not persist for many years.…”

Human pathogenic hantaviruses and prevention of infection

“…Several studies have shown that in HCPS-convalescent individuals neutralizing IgG antibodies persist at high levels for years. 38,39 Moreover, high titers of neutralizing IgG antibodies were detected in sera of convalescent patients decades after PUUV infection. 40,41 Accordingly, repeated symptomatic infection with hantaviruses have not been observed so far indicating that previously infected individuals are protected life-long from re-infection.…”

Induction of protective immunity in a syrian hamster model against a cytopathogenic strain of andes virus

“…However, pre-existing cross-nAbs did not contribute to the protective immunity elicited by prior hantavirus infection [Hooper et al, 2001]. Furthermore, a study performed in Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome survivors from different geographic origin demonstrated the absence of heterologous nAb titers [Valdivieso et al, 2006]. These findings could be considered in broadly vaccine designs against hantavirus infections.…”

“…In general for hantavirus plaque assay, the use of immunostaining was recommended for virus quantification. Other investigators could quantify the Chilean strain of ANDV by immunocytochemistry [Tischler et al, 2005;Valdivieso et al, 2006]. Visualization of ANDV strain Chile-9717869 plaques stained with neutral red was also possible but difficult, and it was suggested that it could be a consequence of an existing disturbance of the functions of the virus in the infected cells, which lead them to take-up neutral red in a different way than uninfected cells do [Wahl-Jensen et al, 2007].…”