Prevalence of antibodies specific to Puumala virus among farmers in Sweden

Ahlm, Clas; Thelin, Anders; Elgh, Fredrik; Juto, Per; Stiernström, Eva Lena; Holmberg, Sara; Tärnvik, Arne

doi:10.5271/sjweh.286

Cited by 26 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…In Fennoscandia, human disease risk is highly related to the density of bank vole populations (Khalil et al, ; Olsson et al, ), and PUUV transmission seems to be density‐dependent in these populations (Voutilainen, Kallio, Niemimaa, Vapalahti, & Henttonen, ). Previous studies have also reported high NE incidence in Hörnefors and Härnösand, the two northernmost localities sampled in this study (Ahlm et al, ; Olsson et al, ; Oscarsson et al, ), and the rare southern human cases detected most often corresponded to residents spending their holidays in the north of Sweden (Olsson et al, ).…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 65%

Preliminary insights into the genetics of bank vole tolerance to Puumala hantavirus in Sweden

Rohfritsch

Galan

Gautier

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Natural reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens generally seem to be capable of tolerating infections. Tolerance and its underlying mechanisms remain difficult to assess using experiments or wildlife surveys. High‐throughput sequencing technologies give the opportunity to investigate the genetic bases of tolerance, and the variability of its mechanisms in natural populations. In particular, population genomics may provide preliminary insights into the genes shaping tolerance and potentially influencing epidemiological dynamics. Here, we addressed these questions in the bank vole Myodes glareolus, the specific asymptomatic reservoir host of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV), which causes nephropathia epidemica (NE) in humans. Despite the continuous spatial distribution of M. glareolus in Sweden, NE is endemic to the northern part of the country. Northern bank vole populations in Sweden might exhibit tolerance strategies as a result of coadaptation with PUUV. This may favor the circulation and maintenance of PUUV and lead to high spatial risk of NE in northern Sweden. We performed a genome‐scan study to detect signatures of selection potentially correlated with spatial variations in tolerance to PUUV. We analyzed six bank vole populations from Sweden, sampled from northern NE‐endemic to southern NE‐free areas. We combined candidate gene analyses (Tlr4, Tlr7, and Mx2 genes) and high‐throughput sequencing of restriction site‐associated DNA (RAD) markers. Outlier loci showed high levels of genetic differentiation and significant associations with environmental data including variations in the regional number of NE human cases. Among the 108 outliers that matched to mouse protein‐coding genes, 14 corresponded to immune‐related genes. The main biological pathways found to be significantly enriched corresponded to immune processes and responses to hantavirus, including the regulation of cytokine productions, TLR cascades, and IL‐7, VEGF, and JAK–STAT signaling. In the future, genome‐scan replicates and functional experimentations should enable to assess the role of these biological pathways in M. glareolus tolerance to PUUV.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 65%

Preliminary insights into the genetics of bank vole tolerance to Puumala hantavirus in Sweden

Rohfritsch

Galan

Gautier

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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“…An acute human case in 2010 with symptoms typical of HFRS produced a similar result with serological assays indicating cross-reaction with a PUUV/SNV-like hantavirus [13]. In addition, Ahlm et al [14] reported similar findings with three samples reacting to SNV in a study of Swedish farmers. This raises the prospect of another circulating hantavirus in the UK, most likely PUUV as SNV has not been detected outside of the Americas, for which the environmental factors have already been demonstrated to be suitable and the reservoir host ( Myodes glareolus ) is ubiquitous [15].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Prevalence of Antibodies against Hantaviruses in Serum and Saliva of Adults Living or Working on Farms in Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Jameson

Newton

Coole

et al. 2014

Viruses

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Hantaviruses are an established cause of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Europe. Following a confirmed case of HFRS in the UK, in an individual residing on a farm in North Yorkshire and the Humber, a tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England, and the subsequent isolation of a Seoul hantavirus from rats trapped on the patient’s farm, it was considered appropriate to further investigate the public health risk of this virus in the region. Of a total 119 individuals tested, nine (7.6%) were seropositive for hantavirus antibodies. Seven of the seropositive samples showed a stronger reaction to Seoul and Hantaan compared to other clinically relevant hantaviruses. Observation of rodents during the day, in particular mice, was associated with a reduced risk of seropositivity. In addition to one region known to be at risk following an acute case, five further potential risk areas have been identified. This study supports recently published evidence that hantaviruses are likely to be of public health interest in the region.

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“…The serum samples in this study had previously been collected in a research project which analysed the health status of Swedish farmers [17]. A total of 1221 active male farmers aged between 40 and 60 y from 9 separated geographical municipalities in Sweden were originally invited to participate along with 1130 matched non-farming controls, all living in rural areas.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unexpected high prevalence of IgG-antibodies to hepatitis E virus in Swedish pig farmers and controls

Olsén

Axelsson-Olsson

Thelin

et al. 2006

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases

117

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Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infections are responsible for large waterborne outbreaks in developing countries. Sporadic cases in the developed world are mainly imported via immigrants and travellers from endemic areas. HEV has been suggested to be a zoonotic infection where pigs may be an important reservoir for the disease and specific swine strains of HEV have been identified which can infect also humans. The aim of this study was to analyse if Swedish pig farmers are more exposed to HEV than persons with other occupations. A total of 115 male pig farmers aged 40-60 y and 108 age- and geographically- matched control subjects were tested for IgG anti-HEV antibodies. No statistical difference in anti-HEV prevalence was noted between pig farmers (13.0%) and control subjects (9.3%). The prevalence of anti-HEV antibodies in the pig farmers and controls was higher than that previously reported among other populations in Europe (<1-9%). Further studies are needed to elucidate the routes for infection of indigenous HEV and if sub-clinical infections with pig associated HEV strains occur in Sweden.

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Prevalence of antibodies specific to Puumala virus among farmers in Sweden

Cited by 26 publications

References 29 publications

Preliminary insights into the genetics of bank vole tolerance to Puumala hantavirus in Sweden

Preliminary insights into the genetics of bank vole tolerance to Puumala hantavirus in Sweden

Prevalence of Antibodies against Hantaviruses in Serum and Saliva of Adults Living or Working on Farms in Yorkshire, United Kingdom

Unexpected high prevalence of IgG-antibodies to hepatitis E virus in Swedish pig farmers and controls

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