Seroprevalence study in forestry workers of a non-endemic region in eastern Germany reveals infections by Tula and Dobrava–Belgrade hantaviruses

Abstract

Highly endemic and outbreak regions for human hantavirus infections are located in the southern, southeastern, and western parts of Germany. The dominant hantavirus is the bank vole transmitted Puumala virus (PUUV). In the eastern part of Germany, previous investigations revealed Tula virus (TULV) and Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV) infections in the respective rodent reservoirs. Here, we describe a seroprevalence study in forestry workers from Brandenburg, eastern Germany, using IgG ELISA and immunoblot tests based on recombinant TULV, DOBV, and PUUV antigens. Out of the 563 sera tested, 499 from male and 64 from female workers, we found 41 out of the 499 (8.2%) sera from men (mean age 47 years) and 10 out of 64 (15.6%) from the women (mean age 48 years) anti-hantavirus-positive. The majority of the 51 seropositive samples reacted exclusively in the TULV (n=22) and DOBV tests (n=17). Focus reduction neutralization assay investigations on selected sera confirmed the presence of TULV- and DOBV-specific antibodies in the forestry workers. These investigations demonstrated a potential health threat for forestry workers and also the average population in non-endemic geographical regions where TULV and DOBV are circulating in the corresponding reservoir hosts. The infections in this region might be frequently overlooked due to their unspecific and mild symptoms.

Peptide Microarray Analysis ofIn Silico-Predicted Epitopes for Serological Diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Humans

“…Detailed information about the serological status of patients with acute or latent T. gondii infection and T. gondii-seronegative patients was published previously by Maksimov et al (39). Sera collected from serologically T. gondii-positive (n ϭ 100) or -negative (n ϭ 75) forest workers were also used and were described in detail previously (39,40). The presence or absence of T. gondii-specific antibodies in the sera was confirmed by a latex agglutination test (LAT; see Table S1 in the supplemental material) and T. gondii surface antigen 1 (SAG1) immunoblot analysis (39).…”

“…For the anonymized patient sera provided by the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany, and the Department of Medical Microbiology and the National Reference Center for Systemic Mycoses, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göt-tingen, Germany, informed consent was obtained verbally that was in agreement with the ethical committee's approved guidelines. All volunteers (forest workers) were included in the study on the basis of written informed consent as described in detail in reference 40.…”

Exposure to infection with Hantavirus (serotype Dobrava/Hantaan) among forestry workers in Poland

“…German researchers examined for hantaviruses (serotype Dobrava/ Tula) a population of 563 forestry workers from the southern regions of Germany. Serologic tests showed 9.1% of positive results (Mertens et al 2011). Another study concerned a group of 722 forestry workers from Germany, from the region of North Rhine-Westphalia, in whom 6% of positive results were confirmed (for serotype Puumala) (Jurke et al 2015).…”

Serosurvey of pathogenic hantaviruses among forestry workers in Hungary

“…A 5.88% seroprevalence was detected in the eastern part of the country [24]. In Germany, a corresponding work was carried out in the north-eastern Brandenburg territory, revealing that among a total of 563 tested persons, 9% proved to be seropositive against DOBV, PUUV and TULV [28]. In Switzerland, the assaying of 1693 farmers, forestry workers, young soldiers and blood donors showed low seroprevalence rates with a maximum of 1.9%.…”

“…Hunters and forestry workers represent a risk population for hantavirus infections due to their increased exposure to various rodents carrying different pathogenic hantavirus species. Studies focusing on hantavirus seroprevalence in this risk population were carried out in several European countries, including Slovakia, Poland, Switzerland and Germany [24][25][26][27][28]. This occupational risk has not been systematically investigated in Hungary; hence, we aimed to study hantavirus infections by demonstrating DOBV and PUUV specific antibodies in serum samples of hunters and forestry workers.…”