Sample records for acute puumala hantavirus

  1. Cytokine expression during early and late phase of acute Puumala hantavirus infection

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Background Hantaviruses of the family Bunyaviridae are emerging zoonotic pathogens which cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in the Old World and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the New World. An immune-mediated pathogenesis is discussed for both syndromes. The aim of our study was to investigate cytokine expression during the course of acute Puumala hantavirus infection. Results We retrospectively studied 64 patients hospitalised with acute Puumala hantavirus infection in 2010 during a hantavirus epidemic in Germany. Hantavirus infection was confirmed by positive anti-hantavirus IgG/IgM. Cytokine expression of IL-2, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α and TGF-β1 was analysed by ELISA during the early and late phase of acute hantavirus infection (average 6 and 12 days after onset of symptoms, respectively). A detailed description of the demographic and clinical presentation of severe hantavirus infection requiring hospitalization during the 2010 hantavirus epidemic in Germany is given. Acute hantavirus infection was characterized by significantly elevated levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, TGF-β1 and TNF-α in both early and late phase compared to healthy controls. From early to late phase of disease, IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α significantly decreased whereas TGF-β1 levels increased. Disease severity characterized by elevated creatinine and low platelet counts was correlated with high pro-inflammatory IL-6 and TNF-α but low immunosuppressive TGF-β1 levels and vice versa . Conclusion High expression of cytokines activating T-lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages in the early phase of disease supports the hypothesis of an immune-mediated pathogenesis. In the late phase of disease, immunosuppressive TGF-β1 level increase significantly. We suggest that delayed induction of a protective immune mechanism to downregulate a massive early pro-inflammatory immune response might contribute to the pathologies characteristic of human hantavirus infection

  2. Time to revise the paradigm of hantavirus syndromes? Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome caused by European hantavirus.

    PubMed

    Rasmuson, J; Andersson, C; Norrman, E; Haney, M; Evander, M; Ahlm, C

    2011-05-01

    Hantaviruses have previously been recognised to cause two separate syndromes: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Eurasia, and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the Americas. However, increasing evidence suggests that this dichotomy is no longer fruitful when recognising human hantavirus disease and understanding the pathogenesis. Herein are presented three cases of severe European Puumala hantavirus infection that meet the HPS case definition. The clinical and pathological findings were similar to those found in American hantavirus patients. Consequently, hantavirus infection should be considered as a cause of acute respiratory distress in all endemic areas worldwide.

  3. Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome due to Puumala virus in Germany.

    PubMed

    Vollmar, Patrick; Lubnow, Matthias; Simon, Michaela; Müller, Thomas; Bergler, Tobias; Alois, Philipp; Thoma, Bryan R; Essbauer, Sandra

    2016-11-01

    In Germany Puumala virus (PUUV), known to cause mild forms of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), is the predominating endemic hantavirus. We herein describe an unusually severe case of a PUUV infection that occurred in summer 2015 in South Eastern Germany in a region known to be endemic for PUUV since over ten years. A 54-year-old female gardener was admitted to hospital with fever, cough and dyspnea. Within 48hours the patient developed a rapid progressive adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with circulatory failure and required ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) treatment. Serological and molecular biological examinations of serum samples confirmed an infection with PUUV. Partial sequences of the S- and M-segment clustered to a strain previously described in South Eastern Germany. Our reported case highlights, that in rare incidents PUUV can cause hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, a syndrome that is usually found after infections with New World hantaviruses, and neurological symptoms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Life-long shedding of Puumala hantavirus in wild bank voles (Myodes glareolus).

    PubMed

    Voutilainen, Liina; Sironen, Tarja; Tonteri, Elina; Bäck, Anne Tuiskunen; Razzauti, Maria; Karlsson, Malin; Wahlström, Maria; Niemimaa, Jukka; Henttonen, Heikki; Lundkvist, Åke

    2015-06-01

    The knowledge of viral shedding patterns and viraemia in the reservoir host species is a key factor in assessing the human risk of zoonotic viruses. The shedding of hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae) by their host rodents has widely been studied experimentally, but rarely in natural settings. Here we present the dynamics of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) shedding and viraemia in naturally infected wild bank voles (Myodes glareolus). In a monthly capture-mark-recapture study, we analysed 18 bank voles for the presence and relative quantity of PUUV RNA in the excreta and blood from 2 months before up to 8 months after seroconversion. The proportion of animals shedding PUUV RNA in saliva, urine and faeces peaked during the first month after seroconversion, but continued throughout the study period with only a slight decline. The quantity of shed PUUV in reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) positive excreta was constant over time. In blood, PUUV RNA was present for up to 7 months but both the probability of viraemia and the virus load declined with time. Our findings contradict the current view of a decline in virus shedding after the acute phase and a short viraemic period in hantavirus infection - an assumption widely adopted in current epidemiological models. We suggest the life-long shedding as a means of hantaviruses to survive over host population bottlenecks, and to disperse in fragmented habitats where local host and/or virus populations face temporary extinctions. Our results indicate that the kinetics of pathogens in wild hosts may differ considerably from those observed in laboratory settings. © 2015 The Authors.

  5. Climate Variability and the Occurrence of Human Puumala Hantavirus Infections in Europe: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Roda Gracia, J; Schumann, B; Seidler, A

    2015-09-01

    Hantaviruses are distributed worldwide and are transmitted by rodents. In Europe, the infection usually manifests as a mild form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) known as nephropathia epidemica (NE), which is triggered by the virus species Puumala. Its host is the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). In the context of climate change, interest in the role of climatic factors for the disease has increased. A systematic review was conducted to investigate the association between climate variability and the occurrence of human Puumala hantavirus infections in Europe. We performed a literature search in the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science. Studies that investigated Puumala virus infection and climatic factors in any European country with a minimum collection period of 2 years were included. The selection of abstracts and the evaluation of included studies were performed by two independent reviewers. A total of 434 titles were identified in the databases, of which nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were conducted in central Europe (Belgium, France and Germany), while only two came from the north (Sweden) and one from the south (Bosnia). Strong evidence was found for a positive association between temperature and NE incidence in central Europe, while the evidence for northern Europe so far appears insufficient. Results regarding precipitation were contradictory. Overall, the complex relationships between climate and hantavirus infections need further exploration to identify specific health risks and initiate appropriate intervention measures in the context of climate change. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  6. Tula and Puumala hantavirus NSs ORFs are functional and the products inhibit activation of the interferon-beta promoter.

    PubMed

    Jääskeläinen, Kirsi M; Kaukinen, Pasi; Minskaya, Ekaterina S; Plyusnina, Angelina; Vapalahti, Olli; Elliott, Richard M; Weber, Friedemann; Vaheri, Antti; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2007-10-01

    The S RNA genome segment of hantaviruses carried by Arvicolinae and Sigmodontinae rodents encodes the nucleocapsid (N) protein and has an overlapping (+1) open reading frame (ORF) for a putative nonstructural protein (NSs). The aim of this study was to determine whether the ORF is functional. A protein corresponding to the predicted size of Tula virus (TULV) NSs was detected using coupled in vitro transcription and translation from a cloned S segment cDNA, and a protein corresponding to the predicted size of Puumala virus (PUUV) NSs was detected in infected cells by Western blotting with an anti-peptide serum. The activities of the interferon beta (IFN-beta) promoter, and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB)- and interferon regulatory factor-3 (IRF-3) responsive promoters, were inhibited in COS-7 cells transiently expressing TULV or PUUV NSs. Also IFN-beta mRNA levels in IFN-competent MRC5 cells either infected with TULV or transiently expressing NSs were decreased. These data demonstrate that Tula and Puumala hantaviruses have a functional NSs ORF. The findings may explain why the NSs ORF has been preserved in the genome of most hantaviruses during their long evolution and why hantavirus-infected cells secrete relatively low levels of IFNs. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  7. Characterization of Puumala hantavirus in bank voles from two regions in the Netherlands where human cases occurred.

    PubMed

    de Vries, A; Vennema, H; Bekker, D L; Maas, M; Adema, J; Opsteegh, M; van der Giessen, J W B; Reusken, C B E M

    2016-07-01

    Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) is the most common and widespread hantavirus in Europe and is associated with a mild form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans, called nephropathia epidemica. This study presents the molecular characterization of PUUV circulating in bank voles in two regions of the Netherlands. Most human cases of hantavirus infection are from these two regions. Phylogenetic analysis of the (partial) S, M and L-segments indicated that the Dutch strains belong to the CE lineage, which includes PUUV strains from France, Germany and Belgium. We have identified two distinct groups of PUUV, corresponding with their geographic origin and with adjoining regions in neighbouring countries.

  8. First Molecular Evidence for Puumala Hantavirus in Poland

    PubMed Central

    Sheikh Ali, Hanan; Drewes, Stephan; Sadowska, Edyta T.; Mikowska, Magdalena; Groschup, Martin H.; Heckel, Gerald; Koteja, Pawel; Ulrich, Rainer G.

    2014-01-01

    Puumala virus (PUUV) causes mild to moderate cases of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), and is responsible for the majority of hantavirus infections of humans in Fennoscandia, Central and Western Europe. Although there are relatively many PUUV sequences available from different European countries, little is known about the presence of this virus in Poland. During population studies in 2009 a total of 45 bank voles were trapped at three sites in north-eastern Poland, namely islands on Dejguny and Dobskie Lakes and in a forest near Mikołajki. S and M segment-specific RT-PCR assays detected PUUV RNA in three animals from the Mikołajki site. The obtained partial S and M segment sequences demonstrated the highest similarity to the corresponding segments of a PUUV strain from Latvia. Analysis of chest cavity fluid samples by IgG ELISA using a yeast-expressed PUUV nucleocapsid protein resulted in the detection of two seropositive samples, both being also RT-PCR positive. Interestingly, at the trapping site in Mikołajki PUUV-positive bank voles belong to the Carpathian and Eastern genetic lineages within this species. In conclusion, we herein present the first molecular evidence for PUUV in the rodent reservoir from Poland. PMID:24452006

  9. Human Puumala and Dobrava Hantavirus Infections in the Black Sea Region of Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Study

    PubMed Central

    Kalaycioglu, Handan; Uyar, Yavuz; Sevindi, Demet Furkan; Turkyilmaz, Bedia; Çakir, Vedat; Cindemir, Cengiz; Unal, Belgin; Yağçi-Çağlayik, Dilek; Korukluoglu, Gulay; Ertek, Mustafa; Heyman, Paul; Lundkvist, Åke

    2013-01-01

    Abstract This study was carried out to better understand the epidemiology of hantaviruses in a province of Turkey (Giresun) where human hantavirus disease has recently been detected. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 626 blood samples from healthy people aged 15 and 84 years old were collected both in urban and rural areas in 2009. The sera were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoblotting assay, and the focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT). We screened the samples by an ELISA and found that 65/626 samples reacted positively for the presence of hantavirus-reactive immunoglobulin G (IgG). Twenty of the 65 ELISA-positive samples could be confirmed by an immunobloting assay, and the overall seroprevalence was thereby calculated to 3.2% (20/626). The seroprevalence of the people living in wood areas or adobe houses 9/17 (52.9%) was significantly higher than among people living in concrete houses 10/47 (21.3%) (p=0.014). Finally, 3 of the 20 immunoblot-positive sera were confirmed as specific for the Puumala hantavirus serotype by FRNT, 1 serum was confirmed as Dobrava virus-specific, whereas 1 serum was found to be equally reactive to Dobrava and Saaremaa viruses. We will now focus on further investigations of the ecology and epidemiology of hantaviruses in humans and their carrier animals in Turkey, studies that have already been started and will be further intensified. PMID:23289396

  10. Hantavirus Infection in the Republic of Georgia

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-01

    causing hemor-rhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) occur throughout most of Europe and Russia. The pathogenic hantaviruses detected in Europe and...on the strain of the infecting virus. Classic HFRS is characterized by fever , acute renal failure, hypotension, hemorrhage, and vascular leakage...Puumala virus typically induces a mild variant of HFRS (nephro- pathia epidemica) accompanied by high fever , headache, backache, and abdominal pain

  11. NK Cell Activation in Human Hantavirus Infection Explained by Virus-Induced IL-15/IL15Rα Expression

    PubMed Central

    Braun, Monika; Björkström, Niklas K.; Gupta, Shawon; Sundström, Karin; Ahlm, Clas; Klingström, Jonas; Ljunggren, Hans-Gustaf

    2014-01-01

    Clinical infection with hantaviruses cause two severe acute diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). These diseases are characterized by strong immune activation, increased vascular permeability, and up to 50% case-fatality rates. One prominent feature observed in clinical hantavirus infection is rapid expansion of natural killer (NK) cells in peripheral blood of affected individuals. We here describe an unusually high state of activation of such expanding NK cells in the acute phase of clinical Puumala hantavirus infection. Expanding NK cells expressed markedly increased levels of activating NK cell receptors and cytotoxic effector molecules. In search for possible mechanisms behind this NK cell activation, we observed virus-induced IL-15 and IL-15Rα on infected endothelial and epithelial cells. Hantavirus-infected cells were shown to strongly activate NK cells in a cell-cell contact-dependent way, and this response was blocked with anti-IL-15 antibodies. Surprisingly, the strength of the IL-15-dependent NK cell response was such that it led to killing of uninfected endothelial cells despite expression of normal levels of HLA class I. In contrast, hantavirus-infected cells were resistant to NK cell lysis, due to a combination of virus-induced increase in HLA class I expression levels and hantavirus-mediated inhibition of apoptosis induction. In summary, we here describe a possible mechanism explaining the massive NK cell activation and proliferation observed in HFRS patients caused by Puumala hantavirus infection. The results add further insights into mechanisms behind the immunopathogenesis of hantavirus infections in humans and identify new possible targets for intervention. PMID:25412359

  12. Construction and Nonclinical Testing of a Puumala Virus Synthetic M Gene-Based DNA Vaccine

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-12-12

    immunogenic hantavirus M gene-based DNA vaccines against the HFRS hantaviruses , we ini- tiated preclinical testing of these vaccines, delivered using a...Testing of a Puumala Virus Synthetic M Gene-Based DNA Vaccine 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR (S) 5d. PROJECT...Vaccination with pWRG/ PUU-M(s2) protected hamsters against infection with PUUV but not against infection by related HFRS-associated hantaviruses

  13. Cytotoxic immune responses in the lungs correlate to disease severity in patients with hantavirus infection.

    PubMed

    Rasmuson, J; Pourazar, J; Mohamed, N; Lejon, K; Evander, M; Blomberg, A; Ahlm, C

    2016-04-01

    Hantavirus infections may cause severe and sometime life-threatening lung failure. The pathogenesis is not fully known and there is an urgent need for effective treatment. We aimed to investigate the association between pulmonary viral load and immune responses, and their relation to disease severity. Bronchoscopy with sampling of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was performed in 17 patients with acute Puumala hantavirus infection and 16 healthy volunteers acting as controls. Lymphocyte subsets, granzyme concentrations, and viral load were determined by flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. Analyses of BAL fluid revealed significantly higher numbers of activated CD8(+) T cells and natural killer (NK) cells, as well as higher concentrations of the cytotoxins granzymes A and B in hantavirus-infected patients, compared to controls. In patients, Puumala hantavirus RNA was detected in 88 % of BAL cell samples and correlated inversely to the T cell response. The magnitude of the pulmonary cytotoxic lymphocyte response correlated to the severity of disease and systemic organ dysfunction, in terms of need for supplemental oxygen treatment, hypotension, and laboratory data indicating renal failure, cardiac dysfunction, vascular leakage, and cell damage. Regulatory T cell numbers were significantly lower in patients compared to controls, and may reflect inadequate immune regulation during hantavirus infection. Hantavirus infection elicits a pronounced cytotoxic lymphocyte response in the lungs. The magnitude of the immune response was associated with disease severity. These results give insights into the pathogenesis and possibilities for new treatments.

  14. Temporal dynamics of Puumala hantavirus infection in cyclic populations of bank voles.

    PubMed

    Voutilainen, Liina; Kallio, Eva R; Niemimaa, Jukka; Vapalahti, Olli; Henttonen, Heikki

    2016-02-18

    Understanding the dynamics of zoonotic pathogens in their reservoir host populations is a prerequisite for predicting and preventing human disease epidemics. The human infection risk of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) is highest in northern Europe, where populations of the rodent host (bank vole, Myodes glareolus) undergo cyclic fluctuations. We conducted a 7-year capture-mark-recapture study to monitor seasonal and multiannual patterns of the PUUV infection rate in bank vole populations exhibiting a 3-year density cycle. Infected bank voles were most abundant in mid-winter months during years of increasing or peak host density. Prevalence of PUUV infection in bank voles exhibited a regular, seasonal pattern reflecting the annual population turnover and accumulation of infections within each year cohort. In autumn, the PUUV transmission rate tracked increasing host abundance, suggesting a density-dependent transmission. However, prevalence of PUUV infection was similar during the increase and peak years of the density cycle despite a twofold difference in host density. This may result from the high proportion of individuals carrying maternal antibodies constraining transmission during the cycle peak years. Our exceptionally intensive and long-term dataset provides a solid basis on which to develop models to predict the dynamic public health threat posed by PUUV in northern Europe.

  15. Spatiotemporal dynamics of Puumala hantavirus associated with its rodent host, Myodes glareolus

    PubMed Central

    Weber de Melo, Vanessa; Sheikh Ali, Hanan; Freise, Jona; Kühnert, Denise; Essbauer, Sandra; Mertens, Marc; Wanka, Konrad M; Drewes, Stephan; Ulrich, Rainer G; Heckel, Gerald

    2015-01-01

    Many viruses significantly impact human and animal health. Understanding the population dynamics of these viruses and their hosts can provide important insights for epidemiology and virus evolution. Puumala virus (PUUV) is a European hantavirus that may cause regional outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans. Here, we analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics of PUUV circulating in local populations of its rodent reservoir host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) during eight years. Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses of all three genome segments of PUUV showed strong geographical structuring at a very local scale. There was a high temporal turnover of virus strains in the local bank vole populations, but several virus strains persisted through multiple years. Phylodynamic analyses showed no significant changes in the local effective population sizes of PUUV, although vole numbers and virus prevalence fluctuated widely. Microsatellite data demonstrated also a temporally persisting subdivision between local vole populations, but these groups did not correspond to the subdivision in the virus strains. We conclude that restricted transmission between vole populations and genetic drift play important roles in shaping the genetic structure and temporal dynamics of PUUV in its natural host which has several implications for zoonotic risks of the human population. PMID:26136821

  16. Surveillance of Hantaviruses in Poland: A Study of Animal Reservoirs and Human Hantavirus Disease in Subcarpathia

    PubMed Central

    Niemcewicz, Marcin; Bielawska-Drózd, Agata; Nowakowska, Anna; Gaweł, Jerzy; Pitucha, Grzegorz; Joniec, Justyna; Zielonka, Katarzyna; Marciniak-Niemcewicz, Anna; Kocik, Janusz

    2014-01-01

    Abstract The first cluster of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Poland was identified in 2007 in the Subcarpathian region. The natural environment of this area is a key habitat for hantavirus vectors. The animal reservoir of existing human HFRS clusters was studied to assess the occurrence of viruses (including Tula virus, Puumala virus, and Dobrava–Belgrade virus) among rodents. We examined 70 suspected human cases with symptoms corresponding to the clinical picture of HFRS. Serological analysis (indirect immunofluorescence assay and immunoblot) confirmed the presence of anti-hantavirus antibodies in 18 patients, which were surveyed with regard to developed symptoms and presumed rodent contact. Seroepidemiological analysis of newly confirmed human cases was performed, putative areas of human exposure were studied, and 194 rodents were subsequently captured from identified areas. Internal organs (lungs, heart, spleen, bladder, and kidneys) were collected from 64 Apodemus flavicollis, 55 Apodemus agrarius, 40 Myodes glareolus, 21 Mus musculus, and 14 Microtus arvalis and tested for the presence of hantavirus RNA by reverse transcription and subsequent real-time PCR. Positive samples were also tested by indirect immunofluorescence. Animal reservoir surveillance enabled the first detection of Puumala virus and Dobrava–Belgrade virus among animals in Poland. Furthermore, some places where rodents were captured correlated with areas of residence of laboratory-confirmed human cases and likely detected virus species. Moreover, three species of hantaviruses coexisting in a relatively small area were identified. PMID:24902039

  17. [Prevalence of antibodies to hantavirus among hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal failure in Kaunas and its district].

    PubMed

    Dargevicius, Arvydas; Petraityte, Rasa; Sribikiene, Birute; Sileikiene, Elvyra; Razukeviciene, Loreta; Ziginskiene, Edita; Vorobjoviene, Rita; Razanskiene, Ausra; Sasnauskas, Kestutis; Bumblyte, Inga Arūne; Kuzminskis, Vytautas

    2007-01-01

    The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antibodies to hantaviruses among hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal failure in Kaunas and its district. Serums of 218 patients from four dialysis centers of Kaunas district were tested by using the immunoglobulin G antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The reactivity of ELISA-positive sera was proven in Western blot tests using various hantavirus recombinant nucleocapsid proteins. The yeast-expressed nucleocapsid proteins were used for testing. Antibodies against Dobrava/Hantaan and Puumala hantaviruses were found in 16 patients (seroprevalence 7.4%). Most of the sera were positive for Dobrava hantavirus (81%). The ratio of males to females was 1.2:1. Seroprevalence was significantly higher in older patients. Results indicate that antibodies to two hantaviruses (Dobrava/Hantaan virus and Puumala virus) are prevalent among hemodialysis patients in Kaunas district with approximately the same seroprevalence as in neighboring countries.

  18. [Hantavirus infection as the cause of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome].

    PubMed

    Redal-Baigorri, Belén; Chen Nielsen, Xiaohui; Martin-Iguacel, Raquel

    2012-10-29

    Hantavirus is an RNA virus that can cause potentially fatal pulmonary and renal diseases in humans. Infections with Hantaviruses occur through inhalation of aerosol from rodent faeces, urine or saliva. The predominant virus type in Denmark is the Puumala virus, which causes the mildest form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, the so-called nephropathia epidemica (NE) with good prognosis (mortality 0.1-0.4%). The incidence of Hantavirus-infection in Denmark is about ten cases a year. The diagnosis of Hantavirus-infection is based on serology and/or polymerase chain reaction in blood or urine.

  19. [Epidemiology of hantaviruses in Baden-Wurttemberg].

    PubMed

    Kimmig, P; Silva-González, R; Backe, H; Brockmann, S; Oehme, R; Ernst, E; Mackenstedt, U

    2001-02-01

    Hantavirus, originally named after the Hantaan River in Korea, is the aetiologic agent for the Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) in the asian region, in the Americas for the Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). In Middle Europe hantaviruses are responsible for the "Nephropathia Epidemica" (NE), a mild form of HFRS. Hantaviruses belong to the family of Bunyaviridae. Like other members of this family their genome consists of three segments of single stranded RNA (ss-RNA) leading to various subtypes, strongly associated with different rodent hosts. There are two major groups, the hantaan lineage harbored by murine rodents and the Puumala lineage harbored by arvicolidae ("old world") and sigmodontidae ("new world"). Infected rodents may develop chronic infections for months or even life-long and may shed infectious virus with urine and feces. The primary mode of infection of man occurs by inhaling contaminated aerosols or soil particles. The collection of epidemiologic data in the state of Baden-Württemberg was realized in three different steps: Collection and localisation of clinical cases (n = 62): A concentration of clinical cases in the middle of the state was found. The examination of the seroprevalence of exposed persons: By the examination of 4000 sera from forest workers, a seroprevalence with an average of 2.1% was found. In the districts of Reutlingen and Tübingen seroprevalences up to 9% were found. This leads to the assumption that there are endemic areas. Epidemiologic studies of reservoir hosts: Serologic surveys of rodents (n = 1150) in the described areas yielded to a seroprevalence up to 10-30%. Virus carriers were determined with RT-PCR and nested-PCR testing. The prevalence in the rodent population showed an average of 10%. The isolated subtypes were all identified as members of the Puumala-lineage. The origin of sporadic infections with Hantavirus of the Hantaan-lineage in Baden-Wuerttemberg is still unknown.

  20. Spatial and temporal patterning of bank vole demography and the epidemiology of the Puumala hantavirus in northeastern France

    PubMed Central

    AUGOT, D.; SAUVAGE, F.; BOUE, F.; BOULOY, M.; ARTOIS, M.; DEMERSON, J. M.; COMBES, B.; COUDRIER, D.; ZELLER, H.; CLIQUET, F.; PONTIER, D.

    2008-01-01

    SUMMARY Epidemiological data from bank voles, Myodes glareolus, naturally infected by the hantavirus Puumala (PUUV) were collected by a capture–mark–recapture protocol from 2000 to 2002 in the French department of Ardennes. Four monitored trapping sites were established in two forests located in two cantons (Flize and Monthermé). We captured 912 bank voles corresponding to 557 different individuals during 8820 trapping nights for an overall trapping success of 10·34%. The average PUUV seroprevalence was 22·4%. Characteristics of the system reported in North European countries are confirmed in France. PUUV seroprevalence and abundance of rodents appeared weakly linked. Adult voles were more frequently antibody-positive, but no difference between sexes was established. Anti-PUUV seropositive voles were captured and high seroprevalence was observed from both forests, without human infection reported in Flize canton during the study. One site among the four exhibited peculiar infection dynamics, where vole weight and infection risk were negatively correlated. PMID:18325126

  1. Host-Associated Absence of Human Puumala Virus Infections in Northern and Eastern Germany

    PubMed Central

    Drewes, Stephan; Ali, Hanan Sheikh; Saxenhofer, Moritz; Rosenfeld, Ulrike M.; Binder, Florian; Cuypers, Fabian; Schlegel, Mathias; Röhrs, Susanne; Heckel, Gerald

    2017-01-01

    Human hantavirus disease cases, caused by Puumala virus (PUUV), are mainly recorded in western and southern areas of Germany. This bank vole reservoir survey confirmed PUUV presence in these regions but its absence in northern and eastern regions. PUUV occurrence is associated with the presence of the Western bank vole phylogroup. PMID:27983499

  2. Hantavirus Gn and Gc glycoproteins self-assemble into virus-like particles.

    PubMed

    Acuña, Rodrigo; Cifuentes-Muñoz, Nicolás; Márquez, Chantal L; Bulling, Manuela; Klingström, Jonas; Mancini, Roberta; Lozach, Pierre-Yves; Tischler, Nicole D

    2014-02-01

    How hantaviruses assemble and exit infected cells remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the expression of Andes (ANDV) and Puumala (PUUV) hantavirus Gn and Gc envelope glycoproteins lead to their self-assembly into virus-like particles (VLPs) which were released to cell supernatants. The viral nucleoprotein was not required for particle formation. Further, a Gc endodomain deletion mutant did not abrogate VLP formation. The VLPs were pleomorphic, exposed protrusions and reacted with patient sera.

  3. Hantavirus Gn and Gc Glycoproteins Self-Assemble into Virus-Like Particles

    PubMed Central

    Acuña, Rodrigo; Cifuentes-Muñoz, Nicolás; Márquez, Chantal L.; Bulling, Manuela; Klingström, Jonas; Mancini, Roberta; Lozach, Pierre-Yves

    2014-01-01

    How hantaviruses assemble and exit infected cells remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the expression of Andes (ANDV) and Puumala (PUUV) hantavirus Gn and Gc envelope glycoproteins lead to their self-assembly into virus-like particles (VLPs) which were released to cell supernatants. The viral nucleoprotein was not required for particle formation. Further, a Gc endodomain deletion mutant did not abrogate VLP formation. The VLPs were pleomorphic, exposed protrusions and reacted with patient sera. PMID:24335294

  4. Acute Sin Nombre hantavirus infection without pulmonary syndrome, United States.

    PubMed Central

    Kitsutani, P. T.; Denton, R. W.; Fritz, C. L.; Murray, R. A.; Todd, R. L.; Pape, W. J.; Wyatt Frampton, J.; Young, J. C.; Khan, A. S.; Peters, C. J.; Ksiazek, T. G.

    1999-01-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) occurs in most infections with Sin Nombre virus and other North American hantaviruses. We report five cases of acute hantavirus infection that did not fit the HPS case definition. The patients had characteristic prodromal symptoms without severe pulmonary involvement. These cases suggest that surveillance for HPS may need to be expanded. PMID:10511527

  5. Muju virus, a novel hantavirus harboured by the arvicolid rodent Myodes regulus in Korea

    PubMed Central

    Song, Ki-Joon; Baek, Luck Ju; Moon, Sungsil; Ha, Si Jung; Kim, Sang Hyun; Park, Kwang Sook; Klein, Terry A.; Sames, William; Kim, Heung-Chul; Lee, John S.; Yanagihara, Richard; Song, Jin-Won

    2008-01-01

    Acute-phase sera from >5 % of cases of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome occurring annually in Korea have been found to exhibit a fourfold or higher antibody titre to Puumala virus (PUUV) than to Hantaan virus (HTNV) by double-sandwich IgM ELISA, suggesting the existence of a PUUV-related hantavirus. Based on the phylogenetic relationships among arvicolid rodents, the royal vole (Myodes regulus) was targeted as a likely reservoir host of hantavirus. Using RT-PCR, a genetically distinct hantavirus, designated Muju virus (MUJV), was detected in lung tissue of royal voles, captured in widely separated geographical regions in Korea during 1996–2007. Pairwise analysis of the full-length S (1857 nt) and M (3634 nt) segments of MUJV indicated approximately 77 % sequence similarity with PUUV. At the amino acid level, MUJV differed from PUUV by 5.5–6.9 % (nucleocapsid) and 10.0–11.6 % (Gn and Gc envelope glycoproteins). Interstrain variation of MUJV sequences from royal voles captured in different regions suggested geographic-specific clustering. Neutralizing antibody titres against PUUV were two- to sixfold higher than to HTNV in sera of MUJV-infected Myodes regulus. Although virus isolation attempts were unsuccessful, the collective data indicate that MUJV is a distinct hantavirus species. PMID:17947538

  6. Country-wide seroprevalence studies on Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and hantavirus infections in general population of Bulgaria.

    PubMed

    Christova, Iva; Panayotova, Elitsa; Trifonova, Iva; Taseva, Evgenia; Hristova, Teodora; Ivanova, Vladislava

    2017-10-01

    Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) and hantavirus infections are the two viral hemorrhagic fevers spread in Europe. To test actual circulation of CCHF virus (CCHFV) and hantaviruses in Bulgaria, we conducted country-wide seroepidemiological studies. Serum samples were collected prospectively from 1500 residents of all 28 districts in Bulgaria. CCHFV seroprevalence of 3.7% was revealed. Anamnesis for tick bites, contact with livestock, age over 40 years and residency in Haskovo district were found as risk factors. The highest CCHFV seroprevalence was observed in the known endemic districts in southeastern Bulgaria: Haskovo (28%) and Yambol (12%). Reactive samples were found in residents of 20 of the 28 districts in Bulgaria. In comparison with the previous studies, the data presented indicate that CCHFV increased substantially its circulation in the endemic regions and was introduced in many new areas. Hantavirus seroprevalence was based on results of the immunoblot and estimated as 3.1%. Surprisingly, contrary to all available data, Puumala virus seroprevalence rate was 2.3% versus 0.8% of Dobrava-Belgrade virus. Evidence for hantavirus IgG seropositivity was found in residents of 23 of the 28 districts in the country. The first hantavirus seroprevalence study in Bulgaria showed that Puumala virus is probably more wide-spread in the country than Dobrava-Belgrade virus. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Muju Virus, Harbored by Myodes regulus in Korea, Might Represent a Genetic Variant of Puumala Virus, the Prototype Arvicolid Rodent-Borne Hantavirus

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Jin Goo; Gu, Se Hun; Baek, Luck Ju; Shin, Ok Sarah; Park, Kwang Sook; Kim, Heung-Chul; Klein, Terry A.; Yanagihara, Richard; Song, Jin-Won

    2014-01-01

    The genome of Muju virus (MUJV), identified originally in the royal vole (Myodes regulus) in Korea, was fully sequenced to ascertain its genetic and phylogenetic relationship with Puumala virus (PUUV), harbored by the bank vole (My. glareolus), and a PUUV-like virus, named Hokkaido virus (HOKV), in the grey red-backed vole (My. rufocanus) in Japan. Whole genome sequence analysis of the 6544-nucleotide large (L), 3652-nucleotide medium (M) and 1831-nucleotide small (S) segments of MUJV, as well as the amino acid sequences of their gene products, indicated that MUJV strains from different capture sites might represent genetic variants of PUUV, the prototype arvicolid rodent-borne hantavirus in Europe. Distinct geographic-specific clustering of MUJV was found in different provinces in Korea, and phylogenetic analyses revealed that MUJV and HOKV share a common ancestry with PUUV. A better understanding of the taxonomic classification and pathogenic potential of MUJV must await its isolation in cell culture. PMID:24736214

  8. Hantavirus Prevalence in the IX Region of Chile

    PubMed Central

    Vial, Pablo C.; Castillo, Constanza H.; Godoy, Paula M.; Hjelle, Brian; Ferrés, Marcela G.

    2003-01-01

    An epidemiologic and seroprevalence survey was conducted (n=830) to assess proportion of persons exposed to hantavirus in IX Region Chile, which accounts for 25% of reported cases of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. This region has three geographic areas with different disease incidences and a high proportion of aboriginals. Serum samples were tested for immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against Sin Nombre virus N antigen by strip immunoblot assay against Sin Nombre, Puumala, Río Mamoré, and Seoul N antigens. Samples from six patients were positive for IgG antibodies reactive with Andes virus; all patients lived in the Andes Mountains. Foresting was also associated with seropositivity; but not sex, age, race, rodent exposure, or farming activities. Exposure to hantavirus varies in different communities of IX Region. Absence of history of pneumonia or hospital admission in persons with specific IgG antibodies suggests that infection is clinically inapparent. PMID:12890323

  9. Detection of Puumala virus in the tissue of infected naturally rodent hosts in the area of central Dinarides.

    PubMed

    Dervović, Edina; Hukić, Mirsada

    2016-04-01

    Hantaviruses are the causative agents of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Euroasia and of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the North, Central and South America. HFRS is endemic in the Balkan Peninsula, where sporadic cases or outbreaks have been reported. Puumala virus (PUUV) is the causative agent of nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of HFRS. PUUV is carried by the bank voles (Myodes glareolus). In this study, we investigated viral RNA from 76 tissues samples (lung n=30, heart n=6, liver n=18 and kidney n=22) of infected naturally rodent hosts in the area of Central Dinarides caught in live traps. Puumala virus was extracted from 34,7% (16/46) rodents by nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time RT-PCR. Overall, 18 (21,4%) specimens of internal organs (kidney n=8, liver n=6, heart n=2 and lung n=2) were positive for PUUV. It was shown a high rodent infestation rate in a relatively low number of rodent and their organs, although mice were not caught during the time of high density population of host rodents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. [Development of ELISA on the basis of monoclonal antibodies for detecting specific activity of the vaccine against hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome].

    PubMed

    Dzagurova, T K; Solopova, O N; Sveshnikov, P G; Korotina, N A; Balovneva, M V; Leonovich, O A; Varlamov, N E; Malkin, G A; Sotskova, S E; Tkachenko, E A

    2013-01-01

    The monoclonal antibodies to Puumala, Dobrava, Hantaan, and Seoul hantaviruses were obtained using mice. The viruses were known to cause HFRS, and two variants of ELISA were designed. First, Hanta-PUU variant, was constructed using monoclonal antibodies to Puumala virus envelope glycoprotein (G(N):G(C)) for detecting only Puumala virus antigen. The second, Hanta-N variant, was constructed using monoclonal antibodies to Dobrava and Puumala nucleocapsid proteins for detecting four above mentioned hantaviruses. Both Hanta-PUU and Hanta-N assays were reliable in detecting specific hantavirus antigens and the immunogenecity of hantavirus vaccines.

  11. Selective predation on hantavirus-infected voles by owls and confounding effects from landscape properties.

    PubMed

    Khalil, Hussein; Ecke, Frauke; Evander, Magnus; Hörnfeldt, Birger

    2016-06-01

    It has been suggested that predators may protect human health through reducing disease-host densities or selectively preying on infected individuals from the population. However, this has not been tested empirically. We hypothesized that Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) selectively preys on hantavirus-infected individuals of its staple prey, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). Bank voles are hosts of Puumala hantavirus, which causes a form of hemorrhagic fever in humans. Selective predation by owls on infected voles may reduce human disease risk. We compared the prevalence of anti-Puumala hantavirus antibodies (seroprevalence), in bank voles cached by owls in nest boxes to seroprevalence in voles trapped in closed-canopy forest around each nest box. We found no general difference in seroprevalence. Forest landscape structure could partly account for the observed patterns in seroprevalence. Only in more connected forest patches was seroprevalence in bank voles cached in nest boxes higher than seroprevalence in trapped voles. This effect disappeared with increasing forest patch isolation, as seroprevalence in trapped voles increased with forest patch isolation, but did not in cached voles. Our results suggest a complex relationship between zoonotic disease prevalence in hosts, their predators, and landscape structure. Some mechanisms that may have caused the seroprevalence patterns in our results include higher bank vole density in isolated forest patches. This study offers future research potential to shed further light on the contribution of predators and landscape properties to human health.

  12. A highly divergent Puumala virus lineage in southern Poland.

    PubMed

    Rosenfeld, Ulrike M; Drewes, Stephan; Ali, Hanan Sheikh; Sadowska, Edyta T; Mikowska, Magdalena; Heckel, Gerald; Koteja, Paweł; Ulrich, Rainer G

    2017-05-01

    Puumala virus (PUUV) represents one of the most important hantaviruses in Central Europe. Phylogenetic analyses of PUUV strains indicate a strong genetic structuring of this hantavirus. Recently, PUUV sequences were identified in the natural reservoir, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), collected in the northern part of Poland. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of PUUV in bank voles from southern Poland. A total of 72 bank voles were trapped in 2009 at six sites in this part of Poland. RT-PCR and IgG-ELISA analyses detected three PUUV positive voles at one trapping site. The PUUV-infected animals were identified by cytochrome b gene analysis to belong to the Carpathian and Eastern evolutionary lineages of bank vole. The novel PUUV S, M and L segment nucleotide sequences showed the closest similarity to sequences of the Russian PUUV lineage from Latvia, but were highly divergent to those previously found in northern Poland, Slovakia and Austria. In conclusion, the detection of a highly divergent PUUV lineage in southern Poland indicates the necessity of further bank vole monitoring in this region allowing rational public health measures to prevent human infections.

  13. Deregulation of levels of angiopoietin-1 and angiopoietin-2 is associated with severe courses of hantavirus infection.

    PubMed

    Nusshag, Christian; Osberghaus, Anja; Baumann, Alexandra; Schnitzler, Paul; Zeier, Martin; Krautkrämer, Ellen

    2017-09-01

    Hantavirus disease is characterized by endothelial dysfunction. Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and its antagonist angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) play a key role in the control of capillary permeability. Ang-1 is responsible for maintenance of cell-to-cell contacts whereas Ang-2 destabilizes monolayers. An imbalance of Ang-1 and Ang-2 levels results in enhanced permeability and capillary leakage. To analyze the involvement of angiopoietins in hantavirus-induced disruption of endothelia, we measured the levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2 in hantavirus infection. Levels of angiopoietins of 31 patients with acute Puumala virus (PUUV) infection and a patient infected with Dobrava-Belgrade virus genotype Sochi (DOBV-Sochi) were analyzed. An age-matched group of 16 healthy volunteers served as control. The ratios of Ang-2 to Ang-1 levels were calculated and correlated with laboratory parameters. Patients with PUUV and DOBV-Sochi infection exhibited elevated ratios of Ang-2/Ang-1 compared to the control group. The imbalance of Ang-2 to Ang-1 levels was observed early after onset of symptoms and lasted for the acute phase of infection. The deregulation in DOBV-Sochi infection was more prominent than in PUUV infection. Analysis of Ang-2/Ang-1 ratio and laboratory parameters in the PUUV cohort revealed a positive correlation with serum creatinine and a negative correlation with serum albumin and thrombocyte levels. We observed an imbalance between levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2 in patients infected with PUUV and DOBV-Sochi. Elevated Ang-2/Ang-1 ratios correlate with disease severity. The virus-induced deregulation of angiopoietin levels may enhance capillary permeability and contribute to the pathogenesis of hantavirus disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Environmental Change and Disease Dynamics: Effects of Intensive Forest Management on Puumala Hantavirus Infection in Boreal Bank Vole Populations

    PubMed Central

    Voutilainen, Liina; Savola, Sakeri; Kallio, Eva Riikka; Laakkonen, Juha; Vaheri, Antti; Vapalahti, Olli; Henttonen, Heikki

    2012-01-01

    Intensive management of Fennoscandian forests has led to a mosaic of woodlands in different stages of maturity. The main rodent host of the zoonotic Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) is the bank vole (Myodes glareolus), a species that can be found in all woodlands and especially mature forests. We investigated the influence of forest age structure on PUUV infection dynamics in bank voles. Over four years, we trapped small mammals twice a year in a forest network of different succession stages in Northern Finland. Our study sites represented four forest age classes from young (4 to 30 years) to mature (over 100 years) forests. We show that PUUV-infected bank voles occurred commonly in all forest age classes, but peaked in mature forests. The probability of an individual bank vole to be PUUV infected was positively related to concurrent host population density. However, when population density was controlled for, a relatively higher infection rate was observed in voles trapped in younger forests. Furthermore, we found evidence of a “dilution effect” in that the infection probability was negatively associated with the simultaneous density of other small mammals during the breeding season. Our results suggest that younger forests created by intensive management can reduce hantaviral load in the environment, but PUUV is common in woodlands of all ages. As such, the Fennoscandian forest landscape represents a significant reservoir and source of hantaviral infection in humans. PMID:22745755

  15. Acute-onset chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in hantavirus and hepatitis B virus coinfection: A case report.

    PubMed

    Lim, Jong Youb; Lim, Young-Ho; Choi, Eun-Hi

    2016-12-01

    Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is an acquired autoimmune disorder with progressive weakness. Acute-onset CIDP resembles Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a rapidly progressive disorder, and follows a chronic course. To our knowledge, no case of acute-onset CIDP in hantavirus and hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection has been reported previously. We report a case of acute-onset CIDP that was initially diagnosed as GBS. A 44-year-old male logger complained of acute quadriplegia and dyspnea. Mechanical ventilation was initiated. He was an HBV carrier with mild elevation of hepatic enzyme, and positive for hantavirus antibody. He was diagnosed with GBS and immunoglobulin therapy was administered. After 8 months, quadriplegia and hypesthesia recurred. Immunoglobulin therapy at this time had no effect, but steroid therapy had some effect. A diagnosis of CIDP was made. After 2 months, severe extremity pain and dyspnea developed again, and steroid pulse therapy was initiated. Besides GBS, acute-onset CIDP can occur with hantavirus and HBV coinfection. Patients with this coinfection in whom GBS has been initially diagnosed should be followed up for a long time, because of the possibility of relapse or deterioration, and acute-onset CIDP should always be considered.

  16. Hantavirus infection: a global zoonotic challenge.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Hong; Zheng, Xuyang; Wang, Limei; Du, Hong; Wang, Pingzhong; Bai, Xuefan

    2017-02-01

    Hantaviruses are comprised of tri-segmented negative sense single-stranded RNA, and are members of the Bunyaviridae family. Hantaviruses are distributed worldwide and are important zoonotic pathogens that can have severe adverse effects in humans. They are naturally maintained in specific reservoir hosts without inducing symptomatic infection. In humans, however, hantaviruses often cause two acute febrile diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). In this paper, we review the epidemiology and epizootiology of hantavirus infections worldwide.

  17. Diagnosis of hantavirus infection in humans.

    PubMed

    Mattar, Salim; Guzmán, Camilo; Figueiredo, Luis Tadeu

    2015-08-01

    Rodent-borne hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus) cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Americas and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Europe and Asia. The viruses are transmitted to humans mainly by inhalation of virus-contaminated aerosols of rodent excreta and secreta. Classic clinical hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome occurs in five phases: fever, hypotension, oliguria, polyuria, and convalescence. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a severe acute disease that is associated with respiratory failure, pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock. The diagnosis of hantavirus infections in humans is based on clinical and epidemiological information as well as laboratory tests. We review diagnosis for hantavirus infections based on serology, PCR, immunochemistry and virus culture.

  18. Spatial prediction and validation of zoonotic hazard through micro-habitat properties: where does Puumala hantavirus hole - up?

    PubMed

    Khalil, Hussein; Olsson, Gert; Magnusson, Magnus; Evander, Magnus; Hörnfeldt, Birger; Ecke, Frauke

    2017-07-26

    To predict the risk of infectious diseases originating in wildlife, it is important to identify habitats that allow the co-occurrence of pathogens and their hosts. Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) is a directly-transmitted RNA virus that causes hemorrhagic fever in humans, and is carried and transmitted by the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). In northern Sweden, bank voles undergo 3-4 year population cycles, during which their spatial distribution varies greatly. We used boosted regression trees; a technique inspired by machine learning, on a 10 - year time-series (fall 2003-2013) to develop a spatial predictive model assessing seasonal PUUV hazard using micro-habitat variables in a landscape heavily modified by forestry. We validated the models in an independent study area approx. 200 km away by predicting seasonal presence of infected bank voles in a five-year-period (2007-2010 and 2015). The distribution of PUUV-infected voles varied seasonally and inter-annually. In spring, micro-habitat variables related to cover and food availability in forests predicted both bank vole and infected bank vole presence. In fall, the presence of PUUV-infected voles was generally restricted to spruce forests where cover was abundant, despite the broad landscape distribution of bank voles in general. We hypothesize that the discrepancy in distribution between infected and uninfected hosts in fall, was related to higher survival of PUUV and/or PUUV-infected voles in the environment, especially where cover is plentiful. Moist and mesic old spruce forests, with abundant cover such as large holes and bilberry shrubs, also providing food, were most likely to harbor infected bank voles. The models developed using long-term and spatially extensive data can be extrapolated to other areas in northern Fennoscandia. To predict the hazard of directly transmitted zoonoses in areas with unknown risk status, models based on micro-habitat variables and developed through machine learning techniques in

  19. A Nonfatal Case of Dobrava Hantavirus Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome Combined with Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Dreshaj, Shemsedin; Ajazaj, Lindita; Hasani, Nderim; Halili, Bahrije; Ponosheci, Albina; Jakupi, Xhevat

    2018-01-01

    Among hantaviruses (HTNV), 22 are known as pathogenic for humans. HTNV can cause two clinical entities: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). In most countries of Eastern Europe as well as in Kosovo, HTNV infection is presented mainly as HFRS. Here, we report a 20-year-old man with HFRS and HCPS caused by Dobrava hantavirus strain, successfully treated in Intensive Care Unit of Infectious Diseases Clinic, University Clinical Center of Kosovo. In HFRS endemic areas, patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome need to be evaluated for Dobrava hantavirus strain as a possible causative agent.

  20. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever as causes of acute undifferentiated febrile illness in Bulgaria.

    PubMed

    Christova, Iva; Younan, Rasha; Taseva, Evgenia; Gladnishka, Teodora; Trifonova, Iva; Ivanova, Vladislava; Spik, Kristin; Schmaljohn, Connie; Mohareb, Emad

    2013-03-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) are the 2 widespread viral hemorrhagic fevers occurring in Europe. HFRS is distributed throughout Europe, and CCHF has been reported mainly on the Balkan Peninsula and Russia. Both hemorrhagic fevers are endemic in Bulgaria. We investigated to what extent acute undifferentiated febrile illness in Bulgaria could be due to hantaviruses or to CCHF virus. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), we tested serum samples from 527 patients with acute febrile illness for antibodies against hantaviruses and CCHF virus. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies against hantaviruses were detected in 15 (2.8%) of the patients. Of the 15 hantavirus-positive patients, 8 (1.5%) were positive for Dobrava virus (DOBV), 5 (0.9%) were positive for Puumala virus (PUUV), and the remaining 2 were positive for both hantaviruses. A plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) confirmed 4 of the 10 DOBV-positive samples. PRNT was negative for all PUUV-positive samples. Serologic evidence of recent CCHF virus infection was found in 13 (2.5%) of the patients. Interestingly, HFRS and CCHF were not only detected in well-known endemic areas of Bulgaria but also in nonendemic regions. Our results suggested that in endemic countries, CCHF and/or HFRS might appear as a nonspecific febrile illness in a certain proportion of patients. Physicians must be aware of possible viral hemorrhagic fever cases, even if hemorrhages or renal impairment are not manifested.

  1. High Prevalence of Tula Hantavirus in Common Voles in The Netherlands.

    PubMed

    Maas, Miriam; de Vries, Ankje; van Roon, Annika; Takumi, Katsuhisa; van der Giessen, Joke; Rockx, Barry

    2017-03-01

    Tula virus (TULV) is a zoonotic hantavirus. Knowledge about TULV in the Netherlands is very scarce. Therefore in 2014, 49 common voles (Microtus arvalis) from a region in the south of the Netherlands, and in 2015, 241 common voles from regions in the north of the Netherlands were tested with the TULV quantitative RT-PCR. In the southern region, prevalence of TULV was 41% (20/49). In the northern regions, prevalence ranged from 12% (4/34) to 45% (17/38). Phylogenetic analysis of the obtained sequences showed that the regions fall within different clusters. Voles from the south were also tested on-site for the presence of hantavirus antibodies, but serology results were poorly associated with qRT-PCR results. These findings suggest that TULV may be more widespread than previously thought. No human TULV cases have been reported thus far in the Netherlands, but differentiation between infection by TULV or the closely related Puumala virus is not made in humans in the Netherlands, thus cases may be misdiagnosed.

  2. Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome in the New, and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in the Old World: paradi(se)gm lost or regained?

    PubMed

    Clement, Jan; Maes, Piet; Van Ranst, Marc

    2014-07-17

    Since the first clinical description in 1994 of the so-called "Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome" (HPS) as a "newly recognized disease", hantavirus infections have always been characterized as presenting in two distinct syndromes, the so-called "Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome" (HFRS) in the Old World, with the kidney as main target organ, in contrast to HPS in the New World, with the lung as main target organ. However, European literature mentions already since 1934 a mostly milder local HFRS form, aptly named "nephropathia epidemica" (NE), and caused by the prototype European hantavirus species Puumala virus (PUUV). Several NE reports dating from the 1980s and early 1990s described already non-cardiogenic HPS-like lung involvement, prior to any kidney involvement, and increasing evidence is now mounting that a considerable clinical overlap exists between HPS and HFRS. Moreover, growing immunologic insights point to common pathologic mechanisms, leading to capillary hyperpermeability, the cardinal feature of all hantavirus infections, both of the New and Old World. It is now perhaps time to reconsider the paradigm of two "different" syndromes caused by viruses of the same Hantavirus genus in the same Bunyaviridae family, and to agree on a common, more logical disease denomination, such as simply and briefly "Hantavirus fever". Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. A novel Sin Nombre virus DNA vaccine and its inclusion in a candidate pan-hantavirus vaccine against hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).

    PubMed

    Hooper, Jay W; Josleyn, Matthew; Ballantyne, John; Brocato, Rebecca

    2013-09-13

    Sin Nombre virus (SNV; family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus) causes a hemorrhagic fever known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in North America. There have been approximately 200 fatal cases of HPS in the United States since 1993, predominantly in healthy working-age males (case fatality rate 35%). There are no FDA-approved vaccines or drugs to prevent or treat HPS. Previously, we reported that hantavirus vaccines based on the full-length M gene segment of Andes virus (ANDV) for HPS in South America, and Hantaan virus (HTNV) and Puumala virus (PUUV) for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Eurasia, all elicited high-titer neutralizing antibodies in animal models. HFRS is more prevalent than HPS (>20,000 cases per year) but less pathogenic (case fatality rate 1-15%). Here, we report the construction and testing of a SNV full-length M gene-based DNA vaccine to prevent HPS. Rabbits vaccinated with the SNV DNA vaccine by muscle electroporation (mEP) developed high titers of neutralizing antibodies. Furthermore, hamsters vaccinated three times with the SNV DNA vaccine using a gene gun were completely protected against SNV infection. This is the first vaccine of any kind that specifically elicits high-titer neutralizing antibodies against SNV. To test the possibility of producing a pan-hantavirus vaccine, rabbits were vaccinated by mEP with an HPS mix (ANDV and SNV plasmids), or HFRS mix (HTNV and PUUV plasmids), or HPS/HFRS mix (all four plasmids). The HPS mix and HFRS mix elicited neutralizing antibodies predominantly against ANDV/SNV and HTNV/PUUV, respectively. Furthermore, the HPS/HFRS mix elicited neutralizing antibodies against all four viruses. These findings demonstrate a pan-hantavirus vaccine using a mixed-plasmid DNA vaccine approach is feasible and warrants further development. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  4. Inhibition of the Hantavirus Fusion Process by Predicted Domain III and Stem Peptides from Glycoprotein Gc.

    PubMed

    Barriga, Gonzalo P; Villalón-Letelier, Fernando; Márquez, Chantal L; Bignon, Eduardo A; Acuña, Rodrigo; Ross, Breyan H; Monasterio, Octavio; Mardones, Gonzalo A; Vidal, Simon E; Tischler, Nicole D

    2016-07-01

    Hantaviruses can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in humans. To enter cells, hantaviruses fuse their envelope membrane with host cell membranes. Previously, we have shown that the Gc envelope glycoprotein is the viral fusion protein sharing characteristics with class II fusion proteins. The ectodomain of class II fusion proteins is composed of three domains connected by a stem region to a transmembrane anchor in the viral envelope. These fusion proteins can be inhibited through exogenous fusion protein fragments spanning domain III (DIII) and the stem region. Such fragments are thought to interact with the core of the fusion protein trimer during the transition from its pre-fusion to its post-fusion conformation. Based on our previous homology model structure for Gc from Andes hantavirus (ANDV), here we predicted and generated recombinant DIII and stem peptides to test whether these fragments inhibit hantavirus membrane fusion and cell entry. Recombinant ANDV DIII was soluble, presented disulfide bridges and beta-sheet secondary structure, supporting the in silico model. Using DIII and the C-terminal part of the stem region, the infection of cells by ANDV was blocked up to 60% when fusion of ANDV occurred within the endosomal route, and up to 95% when fusion occurred with the plasma membrane. Furthermore, the fragments impaired ANDV glycoprotein-mediated cell-cell fusion, and cross-inhibited the fusion mediated by the glycoproteins from Puumala virus (PUUV). The Gc fragments interfered in ANDV cell entry by preventing membrane hemifusion and pore formation, retaining Gc in a non-resistant homotrimer stage, as described for DIII and stem peptide inhibitors of class II fusion proteins. Collectively, our results demonstrate that hantavirus Gc shares not only structural, but also mechanistic similarity with class II viral fusion proteins, and will hopefully help in developing novel therapeutic strategies against hantaviruses.

  5. Smoking is associated with aggravated kidney injury in Puumala hantavirus-induced haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Tervo, Laura; Mäkelä, Satu; Syrjänen, Jaana; Huttunen, Reetta; Rimpelä, Arja; Huhtala, Heini; Vapalahti, Olli; Vaheri, Antti; Mustonen, Jukka

    2015-01-01

    Background Previous studies indicate that smoking affects the outcome of some infections and is a risk factor for Puumala virus (PUUV) infection. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of smoking on the clinical severity of PUUV infection and the prevalence of smoking in patients with PUUV infection. Methods A questionnaire on smoking habits was sent to 494 patients in 2012, who had been treated in Tampere University Hospital, Finland, for serologically confirmed PUUV infection during years 1982–2012. Results Of all patients, 357 (72%) participated. Maximum plasma creatinine level measured during acute illness was significantly higher in current smokers than in non-smokers (median: 273 versus 184 µmol/L, P < 0.001). Current smokers had a higher maximum blood leucocyte count than non-smokers (median: 10.8 versus 8.9 × 109/L, P < 0.001) and they were younger than non-smokers (38 versus 45 years, P < 0.001). There were no differences between current smokers and non-smokers in the other variables reflecting the severity of PUUV infection. Altogether 51% were current smokers at the time of onset of the illness, 57% of males and 36% of females. During these years in Finland, smoking among males in the same aged population has decreased from 33 to 22% and among females, smoking has varied between 14 and 20%. Conclusions Smoking is common in patients with PUUV infection. Current smokers suffer from more severe acute kidney injury (AKI) and they have higher leucocyte count than non-smokers in PUUV infection. Smoking cessation decreases the risk of severe AKI to the same level as observed in never-smokers. PMID:26150428

  6. Indirect Immunofluorescence Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Antibodies against Clinically Important Old and New World Hantaviruses

    PubMed Central

    Lederer, Sabine; Lattwein, Erik; Hanke, Merle; Sonnenberg, Karen; Stoecker, Winfried; Lundkvist, Åke; Vaheri, Antti; Vapalahti, Olli; Chan, Paul K. S.; Feldmann, Heinz; Dick, Daryl; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Padula, Paula; Vial, Pablo A.; Panculescu-Gatej, Raluca; Ceianu, Cornelia; Heyman, Paul; Avšič-Županc, Tatjana; Niedrig, Matthias

    2013-01-01

    In order to detect serum antibodies against clinically important Old and New World hantaviruses simultaneously, multiparametric indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFAs) based on biochip mosaics were developed. Each of the mosaic substrates consisted of cells infected with one of the virus types Hantaan (HTNV), Puumala (PUUV), Seoul (SEOV), Saaremaa (SAAV), Dobrava (DOBV), Sin Nombre (SNV) or Andes (ANDV). For assay evaluation, serum IgG and IgM antibodies were analyzed using 184 laboratory-confirmed hantavirus-positive sera collected at six diagnostic centers from patients actively or previously infected with the following hantavirus serotypes: PUUV (Finland, n = 97); SEOV (China, n = 5); DOBV (Romania, n = 7); SNV (Canada, n = 23); ANDV (Argentina and Chile, n = 52). The control panel comprised 89 sera from healthy blood donors. According to the reference tests, all 184 patient samples were seropositive for hantavirus-specific IgG (n = 177; 96%) and/or IgM (n = 131; 72%), while all control samples were tested negative. In the multiparametric IFA applied in this study, 183 (99%) of the patient sera were IgG and 131 (71%) IgM positive (accordance with the reference tests: IgG, 96%; IgM, 93%). Overall IFA sensitivity for combined IgG and IgM analysis amounted to 100% for all serotypes, except for SNV (96%). Of the 89 control sera, 2 (2%) showed IgG reactivity against the HTNV substrate, but not against any other hantavirus. Due to the high cross-reactivity of hantaviral nucleocapsid proteins, endpoint titrations were conducted, allowing serotype determination in >90% of PUUV- and ANDV-infected patients. Thus, multiparametric IFA enables highly sensitive and specific serological diagnosis of hantavirus infections and can be used to differentiate PUUV and ANDV infection from infections with Murinae-borne hantaviruses (e.g. DOBV and SEOV). PMID:23593524

  7. Evidence of human hantavirus infection and zoonotic investigation of hantavirus prevalence in rodents in western Java, Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Kosasih, Herman; Ibrahim, Ima Nurisa; Wicaksana, Rudi; Alisjahbana, Bachti; Hoo, Yumilia; Yo, Iing H; Antonjaya, Ungke; Widjaja, Susana; Winoto, Imelda; Williams, Maya; Blair, Patrick J

    2011-06-01

    During febrile surveillance in the western Java City of Bandung, Indonesia, a patient with clinical symptoms consistent with hantavirus infection was found to have elevated titers of hantavirus-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies. A subsequent epizoological investigation demonstrated a higher prevalence of hantavirus IgG antibodies in rodents trapped in the vicinity of the patient's home compared with rodents from a control area (13.2% vs. 4.7%, p = 0.036). The Old World Seoul hantavirus was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in the organs of 71% of the seropositive rodents tested. This is the first report of a Seoul virus infection in Indonesia supported by clinical, serological, and epizoological evidences. These findings suggest that hantavirus infection should be on the clinical differential diagnosis when acutely ill febrile patients report for care in western Java.

  8. Tula hantavirus infection in immunocompromised host, Czech Republic.

    PubMed

    Zelená, Hana; Mrázek, Jakub; Kuhn, Tomáš

    2013-11-01

    We report molecular evidence of Tula hantavirus as an etiologic agent of pulmonary-renal syndrome in an immunocompromised patient. Acute hantavirus infection was confirmed by using serologic and molecular methods. Sequencing revealed Tula virus genome RNA in the patient's blood. This case shows that Tula virus can cause serious disease in humans.

  9. Complete Genome and Phylogeny of Puumala Hantavirus Isolates Circulating in France.

    PubMed

    Castel, Guillaume; Couteaudier, Mathilde; Sauvage, Frank; Pons, Jean-Baptiste; Murri, Séverine; Plyusnina, Angelina; Pontier, Dominique; Cosson, Jean-François; Plyusnin, Alexander; Marianneau, Philippe; Tordo, Noël

    2015-10-22

    Puumala virus (PUUV) is the agent of nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Europe. NE incidence presents a high spatial variation throughout France, while the geographical distribution of the wild reservoir of PUUV, the bank vole, is rather continuous. A missing piece of the puzzle is the current distribution and the genetic variation of PUUV in France, which has been overlooked until now and remains poorly understood. During a population survey, from 2008 to 2011, bank voles were trapped in eight different forests of France located in areas known to be endemic for NE or in area from where no NE case has been reported until now. Bank voles were tested for immunoglobulin (Ig)G ELISA serology and two seropositive animals for each of three different areas (Ardennes, Jura and Orleans) were then subjected to laboratory analyses in order to sequence the whole S, M and L segments of PUUV. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that French PUUV isolates globally belong to the central European (CE) lineage although isolates from Ardennes are clearly distinct from those in Jura and Orleans, suggesting a different evolutionary history and origin of PUUV introduction in France. Sequence analyses revealed specific amino acid signatures along the N protein, including in PUUV from the Orleans region from where NE in humans has never been reported. The relevance of these mutations in term of pathophysiology is discussed.

  10. Accumulation of point mutations and reassortment of genomic RNA segments are involved in the microevolution of Puumala hantavirus in a bank vole (Myodes glareolus) population.

    PubMed

    Razzauti, Maria; Plyusnina, Angelina; Henttonen, Heikki; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2008-07-01

    The genetic diversity of Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) was studied in a local population of its natural host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). The trapping area (2.5 x 2.5 km) at Konnevesi, Central Finland, included 14 trapping sites, at least 500 m apart; altogether, 147 voles were captured during May and October 2005. Partial sequences of the S, M and L viral genome segments were recovered from 40 animals. Seven, 12 and 17 variants were detected for the S, M and L sequences, respectively; these represent new wild-type PUUV strains that belong to the Finnish genetic lineage. The genetic diversity of PUUV strains from Konnevesi was 0.2-4.9 % for the S segment, 0.2-4.8 % for the M segment and 0.2-9.7 % for the L segment. Most nucleotide substitutions were synonymous and most deduced amino acid substitutions were conservative, probably due to strong stabilizing selection operating at the protein level. Based on both sequence markers and phylogenetic clustering, the S, M and L sequences could be assigned to two groups, 'A' and 'B'. Notably, not all bank voles carried S, M and L sequences belonging to the same group, i.e. S(A)M(A)L(A) or S(B)M(B)L(B). A substantial proportion (8/40, 20 %) of the newly characterized PUUV strains possessed reassortant genomes such as S(B)M(A)L(A), S(A)M(B)L(B) or S(B)M(A)L(B). These results suggest that at least some of the PUUV reassortants are viable and can survive in the presence of their parental strains.

  11. Hantaviruses and cardiopulmonary syndrome in South America.

    PubMed

    Figueiredo, Luiz Tadeu Moraes; Souza, William Marciel de; Ferrés, Marcela; Enria, Delia Alcira

    2014-07-17

    Hantavirus (Bunyaviridae) cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is an emerging health problem in South America due to urban growth and to the expansion of agriculture and cattle-raising areas into ecosystems containing most of the species of Sigmodontinae rodents that act as hantavirus reservoirs. About 4000 HCPS cases have been reported in South America up to 2013, associated with the following hantaviruses: Andes, Anajatuba, Araraquara (ARQV), Paranoá, Bermejo, Castelo dos Sonhos, Juquitiba, Araucária, Laguna Negra, Lechiguanas, Maripa, Oran, Rio Mamore and Tunari. The transmission of hantavirus to man occurs by contact with or through aerosols of excreta and secretions of infected rodents. Person-to-person transmission of hantavirus has also been reported in Argentina and Chile. HCPS courses with a capillary leaking syndrome produced by the hantavirus infecting lung endothelial cells and mostly with a severe inflammatory process associated with a cytokine storm. HCPS starts as a dengue-like acute febrile illness but after about 3 days progresses to respiratory failure and cardiogenic shock, leading to a high fatality rate that reaches 50% for patients infected with ARQV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Hantaviruses and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Maranhao, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Travassos da Rosa, Elizabeth S; Sampaio de Lemos, Elba R; de Almeida Medeiros, Daniele B; Simith, Darlene B; de Souza Pereira, Armando; Elkhoury, Mauro R; Mendes, Wellington S; Vidigal, José R B; de Oliveira, Renata C; D'Andrea, Paulo S; Bonvicino, Cibele R; Cruz, Ana C R; Nunes, Márcio R T; da Costa Vasconcelos, Pedro F

    2010-12-01

    To confirm circulation of Anajatuba virus in Maranhao, Brazil, we conducted a serologic survey (immunoglobulin G ELISA) and phylogenetic studies (nucleocapsid gene sequences) of hantaviruses from wild rodents and persons with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. This virus is transmitted by Oligoryzomys fornesi rodents and is responsible for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in this region.

  13. Another case of "European hantavirus pulmonary syndrome" with severe lung, prior to kidney, involvement, and diagnosed by viral inclusions in lung macrophages.

    PubMed

    Gizzi, M; Delaere, B; Weynand, B; Clement, J; Maes, P; Vergote, V; Laenen, L; Hjelle, B; Verroken, A; Dive, A; Michaux, I; Evrard, P; Creytens, D; Bulpa, P

    2013-10-01

    Puumala virus (PUUV) is considered a classic Old World etiologic agent of nephropathia epidemica (NE), or hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). HFRS is considered to be distinct from hantavirus (cardio-)pulmonary syndrome (HPS or HCPS), described in the New World. Here, we report a severe case, which fulfilled most, if not all, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria for HPS, needing non-invasive ventilation and subsequent acute hemodialysis. However, the etiological agent was PUUV, as proved by serological testing, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and sequencing. Viral antigen was detected by specific anti-PUUV immunostaining, showing, for the first time, greenish intracytoplasmic inclusions in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) macrophages. This case definitely confirms that HPS can be encountered during PUUV infections. Interestingly, special findings could render the diagnosis easier, such as greenish homogeneous cytoplasmic inclusions, surrounded by a fine clear halo in BAL macrophages. Therefore, although the diagnosis remains difficult before the onset of renal involvement, the occurrence of severe respiratory failure mimicking community-acquired pneumonia must alert the clinician for possible HPS, especially in endemic areas.

  14. Role of Vascular and Lymphatic Endothelial Cells in Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Suggests Targeted Therapeutic Approaches

    PubMed Central

    Gorbunova, Elena E.; Dalrymple, Nadine A.; Gavrilovskaya, Irina N.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Background Hantaviruses in the Americas cause a highly lethal acute pulmonary edema termed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Hantaviruses nonlytically infect microvascular and lymphatic endothelial cells and cause dramatic changes in barrier functions without disrupting the endothelium. Hantaviruses cause changes in the function of infected endothelial cells that normally regulate fluid barrier functions. The endothelium of arteries, veins, and lymphatic vessels are unique and central to the function of vast pulmonary capillary beds that regulate pulmonary fluid accumulation. Results We have found that HPS-causing hantaviruses alter vascular barrier functions of microvascular and lymphatic endothelial cells by altering receptor and signaling pathway responses that serve to permit fluid tissue influx and clear tissue edema. Infection of the endothelium provides several mechanisms for hantaviruses to cause acute pulmonary edema, as well as potential therapeutic targets for reducing the severity of HPS disease. Conclusions Here we discuss interactions of HPS-causing hantaviruses with the endothelium, roles for unique lymphatic endothelial responses in HPS, and therapeutic targeting of the endothelium as a means of reducing the severity of HPS disease. PMID:24024573

  15. Role of vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome suggests targeted therapeutic approaches.

    PubMed

    Mackow, Erich R; Gorbunova, Elena E; Dalrymple, Nadine A; Gavrilovskaya, Irina N

    2013-09-01

    Hantaviruses in the Americas cause a highly lethal acute pulmonary edema termed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Hantaviruses nonlytically infect microvascular and lymphatic endothelial cells and cause dramatic changes in barrier functions without disrupting the endothelium. Hantaviruses cause changes in the function of infected endothelial cells that normally regulate fluid barrier functions. The endothelium of arteries, veins, and lymphatic vessels are unique and central to the function of vast pulmonary capillary beds that regulate pulmonary fluid accumulation. We have found that HPS-causing hantaviruses alter vascular barrier functions of microvascular and lymphatic endothelial cells by altering receptor and signaling pathway responses that serve to permit fluid tissue influx and clear tissue edema. Infection of the endothelium provides several mechanisms for hantaviruses to cause acute pulmonary edema, as well as potential therapeutic targets for reducing the severity of HPS disease. Here we discuss interactions of HPS-causing hantaviruses with the endothelium, roles for unique lymphatic endothelial responses in HPS, and therapeutic targeting of the endothelium as a means of reducing the severity of HPS disease.

  16. Hantaviruses in Africa.

    PubMed

    Witkowski, Peter T; Klempa, Boris; Ithete, Ndapewa L; Auste, Brita; Mfune, John K E; Hoveka, Julia; Matthee, Sonja; Preiser, Wolfgang; Kruger, Detlev H

    2014-07-17

    This paper summarizes the progress in the search for hantaviruses and hantavirus infections in Africa. After having collected molecular evidence of an indigenous African hantavirus in 2006, an intensive investigation for new hantaviruses has been started in small mammals. Various novel hantaviruses have been molecularly identified not only in rodents but also in shrews and bats. In addition, the first African hantavirus, Sangassou virus, has been isolated and functionally characterized in cell culture. Less is known about the ability of these hantaviruses to infect humans and to cause diseases. To date, no hantavirus genetic material could be amplified from patients' specimens collected in Africa. Serological studies in West Africa, based on a battery of screening and confirmatory assays, led to the detection of hantavirus antibodies in the human population and in patients with putative hantavirus disease. In addition to this overview, we present original data from seroepidemiological and field studies conducted in the Southern part of Africa. A human seroprevalence rate of 1.0% (n=1442) was detected in the South African Cape Region whereas no molecular evidence for the presence of hantavirus was found in 2500 small animals trapped in South Africa and Namibia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in a postpartum woman.

    PubMed

    Murthy, Pooja R; Ucchil, Rajesh; Shah, Unmil; Chaudhari, Dipak

    2016-09-01

    Hantavirus infection, a rare disease diagnosed in India and carries a very high mortality. There are no reports of this infection in association with pregnancy or postpartum period in our country. We present a case of a 30-year-old female diagnosed to have hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the postpartum period. We intend to create awareness about this infection and consider it in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with acute respiratory distress syndrome and multiorgan dysfunction in association with pregnancy and postpartum period.

  18. Differences between Human and Rodent Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells May Explain the Pathogenic Disparity of Hantavirus Infection

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-06-01

    cause two acute febrile diseases in humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardio-pulmonary syndrome (HCPS). The purpose...of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, USA Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an acute zoonotic disease transmitted...bling acute respiratory distress syndrome (10). Rapidly progress- ing pulmonary edema, myocardial depression, and hypovolemia are the leading cause of

  19. A lethal disease model for New World hantaviruses using immunosuppressed Syrian hamsters.

    PubMed

    Vergote, Valentijn; Laenen, Lies; Vanmechelen, Bert; Van Ranst, Marc; Verbeken, Erik; Hooper, Jay W; Maes, Piet

    2017-10-01

    Hantavirus, the hemorrhagic causative agent of two clinical diseases, is found worldwide with variation in severity, incidence and mortality. The most lethal hantaviruses are found on the American continent where the most prevalent viruses like Andes virus and Sin Nombre virus are known to cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. New World hantavirus infection of immunocompetent hamsters results in an asymptomatic infection except for Andes virus and Maporal virus; the only hantaviruses causing a lethal disease in immunocompetent Syrian hamsters mimicking hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in humans. Hamsters, immunosuppressed with dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide, were infected intramuscularly with different New World hantavirus strains (Bayou virus, Black Creek Canal virus, Caño Delgadito virus, Choclo virus, Laguna Negra virus, and Maporal virus). In the present study, we show that immunosuppression of hamsters followed by infection with a New World hantavirus results in an acute disease that precisely mimics both hantavirus disease in humans and Andes virus infection of hamsters. Infected hamsters showed specific clinical signs of disease and moreover, histological analysis of lung tissue showed signs of pulmonary edema and inflammation within alveolar septa. In this study, we were able to infect immunosuppressed hamsters with different New World hantaviruses reaching a lethal outcome with signs of disease mimicking human disease.

  20. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Macneil, Adam; Nichol, Stuart T; Spiropoulou, Christina F

    2011-12-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe disease characterized by a rapid onset of pulmonary edema followed by respiratory failure and cardiogenic shock. The HPS associated viruses are members of the genus Hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae. Hantaviruses have a worldwide distribution and are broadly split into the New World hantaviruses, which includes those causing HPS, and the Old World hantaviruses [including the prototype Hantaan virus (HTNV)], which are associated with a different disease, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Sin Nombre virus (SNV) and Andes virus (ANDV) are the most common causes of HPS in North and South America, respectively. Case fatality of HPS is approximately 40%. Pathogenic New World hantaviruses infect the lung microvascular endothelium without causing any virus induced cytopathic effect. However, virus infection results in microvascular leakage, which is the hallmark of HPS. This article briefly reviews the knowledge on HPS-associated hantaviruses accumulated since their discovery, less than 20 years ago. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. Hantaviruses and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, Maranhão, Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Travassos da Rosa, Elizabeth S.; Sampaio de Lemos, Elba R.; Medeiros, Daniele B. de Almeida; Simith, Darlene B.; Pereira, Armando de Souza; Elkhoury, Mauro R.; Mendes, Wellington S.; Vidigal, José R.B.; de Oliveira, Renata C.; D’Andrea, Paulo S.; Bonvícino, Cibele R.; Cruz, Ana C.R.; Nunes, Márcio R.T.

    2010-01-01

    To confirm circulation of Anajatuba virus in Maranhão, Brazil, we conducted a serologic survey (immunoglobulin G ELISA) and phylogenetic studies (nucleocapsid gene sequences) of hantaviruses from wild rodents and persons with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. This virus is transmitted by Oligoryzomys fornesi rodents and is responsible for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in this region. PMID:21122229

  2. Novel Insights on Hantavirus Evolution: The Dichotomy in Evolutionary Pressures Acting on Different Hantavirus Segments.

    PubMed

    Sankar, Sathish; Upadhyay, Mohita; Ramamurthy, Mageshbabu; Vadivel, Kumaran; Sagadevan, Kalaiselvan; Nandagopal, Balaji; Vivekanandan, Perumal; Sridharan, Gopalan

    2015-01-01

    Hantaviruses are important emerging zoonotic pathogens. The current understanding of hantavirus evolution is complicated by the lack of consensus on co-divergence of hantaviruses with their animal hosts. In addition, hantaviruses have long-term associations with their reservoir hosts. Analyzing the relative abundance of dinucleotides may shed new light on hantavirus evolution. We studied the relative abundance of dinucleotides and the evolutionary pressures shaping different hantavirus segments. A total of 118 sequences were analyzed; this includes 51 sequences of the S segment, 43 sequences of the M segment and 23 sequences of the L segment. The relative abundance of dinucleotides, effective codon number (ENC), codon usage biases were analyzed. Standard methods were used to investigate the relative roles of mutational pressure and translational selection on the three hantavirus segments. All three segments of hantaviruses are CpG depleted. Mutational pressure is the predominant evolutionary force leading to CpG depletion among hantaviruses. Interestingly, the S segment of hantaviruses is GpU depleted and in contrast to CpG depletion, the depletion of GpU dinucleotides from the S segment is driven by translational selection. Our findings also suggest that mutational pressure is the primary evolutionary pressure acting on the S and the M segments of hantaviruses. While translational selection plays a key role in shaping the evolution of the L segment. Our findings highlight how different evolutionary pressures may contribute disproportionally to the evolution of the three hantavirus segments. These findings provide new insights on the current understanding of hantavirus evolution. There is a dichotomy among evolutionary pressures shaping a) the relative abundance of different dinucleotides in hantavirus genomes b) the evolution of the three hantavirus segments.

  3. Discovery of hantaviruses in bats and insectivores and the evolution of the genus Hantavirus.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yong-Zhen

    2014-07-17

    Hantaviruses are among the most important zoonotic pathogens of humans, causing either hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). From the period 1964-2006 almost all hantaviruses had been identified in rodents, with the exception of Thottapalayam virus (TPMV) isolated from shrews sampled in India. As a consequence, rodents were considered as the natural reservoir hosts. However, over the past seven years, most of the newly found hantavirus genotypes have been from either shrews or moles. Remarkably, in recent years divergent hantaviruses have also been identified in bats sampled from both Africa and Asia. All these data indicate that hantaviruses have a broad range of natural reservoir hosts. Phylogenetic analyses of the available sequences of hantaviruses suggest that hantaviruses might have first appeared in Chiroptera (bats) or Soricomorpha (moles and shrews), before emerging in rodent species. Although rodent hantaviruses cluster according to whether their hosts are members of the Murinae and Cricetidae, the phylogenetic histories of the viruses are not always congruent with those of their hosts, indicating that cross-species transmission events have occurred at all taxonomic levels. In sum, both cross-species transmission and co-divergence have produced the high genetic diversity of hantaviruses described to date. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. 'Bedside assessment' of acute hantavirus infections and their possible classification into the spectrum of haemophagocytic syndromes.

    PubMed

    Clement, J; Colson, P; Saegeman, V; Lagrou, K; Van Ranst, M

    2016-07-01

    Hantavirus infections, recently renamed 'hantavirus fever' (HTVF), belong to the most common but also most underestimated zoonoses in the world. A small number of reports described the so-called 'lipid paradox' in HTVF, i.e. the striking contrast between a very low serum total cholesterol and/or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), and a paradoxical concomitant hypertriglyceridaemia. In a prospective study, with patients being their own control after illness, we wanted to verify if this quick and easy 'bedside test' was robust enough to warrant a preliminary diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) caused by HTVF. The study cohort consisted of 58 Belgian cases (mean age 44 years), admitted with varying degrees of AKI and of thrombocytopaenia, both characteristic for presumptive HTVF. All cases were sero-confirmed as having acute HTVF. At or shortly after hospital admission, a significant (p < 0.001) decrease of total cholesterol and HDLc was found in comparison with normalised levels in the same cohort, quantified a few days after spontaneous AKI recovery. Conversely, fasting triglyceride levels during HTVF infection were significantly (p < 0.001) higher during illness than after recovery. This 'lipid paradox' was most outspoken in severe HTVF cases, often accompanying, or even predicting, major kidney or lung complications. Thus, this 'bedside assessment' seems to hold even promise for presumptive diagnosis of more severe so-called 'hantavirus cardio-pulmonary syndrome' (HCPS) cases, mostly described hitherto in the New World. In more severe AKI cases, the mean total cholesterol was significantly lower (p = 0.02) than in milder cases, i.e. cases with peak serum creatinine levels of < 1.5 mg/dL. Thrombocytopaenia, generally accepted as the severity index in HTVF, appeared, moreover, significantly correlated with serum levels of total cholesterol (R = 0.52, p < 0.001) and with serum levels of HDLc (R = 0.45, p < 0.01). A link

  5. Discovery of hantaviruses and of the Hantavirus genus: personal and historical perspectives of the Presidents of the International Society of Hantaviruses.

    PubMed

    Lee, Ho Wang; Vaheri, Antti; Schmaljohn, Connie S

    2014-07-17

    We three authors, the two past presidents (HWL and AV) and the current president (CSS) of the International Society for Hantaviruses (ISH) have attended most of the nine International Conferences on HFRS, HPS and Hantaviruses (Table 1). These conferences have provided a forum for a synergistic group of clinicians, basic researchers, mammalogists, epidemiologists and ecologists to share their expertise and interests in all aspects of hantavirus research. Much of what is now hantavirus dogma was only conjecture when HWL organized the first conference in Seoul, Korea in 1989. Herein, we provide our reflections on key events in hantavirus research. As we come from distinct areas of the world and have had individual historical experiences, we certainly have our own geocentric opinions about the key events. Nevertheless, we agree that the discovery of hantaviruses has taken an interesting and unpredictable track to where we are today. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  6. Vaccines for Hantaviruses: Progress and Issues

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-01-01

    511ISSN 1476-058410.1586/ERV.12.15www.expert-reviews.com Editorial Hantaviruses , hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome & hantavirus pulmonary...syndrome The Hantavirus genus of the fam- ily Bunyaviridae comprises more than 20 viruses, including several human patho- gens. Hantaviruses are...issues Expert Rev. Vaccines 11(5), 511–513 (2012) Keywords: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome • hantaviruses • hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome

  7. Hantavirus Prevention: Cleanup of Rodent Contamination

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-09-01

    Hantaviruses in the Americas may cause human disease involving the lungs, hence the name " hantavirus pulmonary syndrome" (HPS). Since May 1993, a...humans are also found in other rodents, but the number of cases stemming from these hantaviruses is small when compared to SNV. Hantavirus is shed in... HANTAVIRUS PREVENTION: CLEANUP OF RODENT CONTAMINATION Technical Information Paper 18-001-0306

  8. Seoul Virus Infection in Humans, France, 2014–2016

    PubMed Central

    Carli, Damien; Bour, Jean-Baptiste; Boudjeltia, Samir; Dewilde, Anny; Gerbier, Guillaume; Nussbaumer, Timothée; Jacomo, Véronique; Rapt, Marie-Pierre; Rollin, Pierre E.; Septfons, Alexandra

    2017-01-01

    We report detection of Seoul virus in 3 patients in France over a 2-year period. These patients accounted for 3 of the 4 Seoul virus infections among 434 hantavirus infections (1.7%) reported during this time. More attention should be given to this virus in Europe where surveillance has been focused mostly on Puumala and Dobrava-Belgrade hantaviruses. PMID:28368241

  9. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Simpson, Steven Q; Spikes, Leslie; Patel, Saurin; Faruqi, Ibrahim

    2010-03-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, also known as hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, is a recently described infectious syndrome found throughout the Americas. Although infection is sporadic and uncommon compared with other atypical pneumonia syndromes, its high mortality rate warrants the maintenance of a high index of suspicion in rural settings. Because no specific therapies are available for the disease, prevention and early recognition play an important role in reducing mortality from the disease. This article reviews the nature of the viruses that cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the epidemiology and ecology of disease transmission, and disease recognition, treatment, and prevention. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Prediction of Pan-Specific B-Cell Epitopes From Nucleocapsid Protein of Hantaviruses Causing Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Kalaiselvan, Sagadevan; Sankar, Sathish; Ramamurthy, Mageshbabu; Ghosh, Asit Ranjan; Nandagopal, Balaji; Sridharan, Gopalan

    2017-08-01

    Hantaviruses are emerging viral pathogens that causes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the Americas, a severe, sometimes fatal, respiratory disease in humans with a case fatality rate of ≥50%. IgM and IgG-based serological detection methods are the most common approaches used for laboratory diagnosis of hantaviruses. Such emerging viral pathogens emphasizes the need for improved rapid diagnostic devices and vaccines incorporating pan-specific epitopes of genotypes. We predicted linear B-cell epitopes for hantaviruses that are specific to genotypes causing HCPS in humans using in silico prediction servers. We modeled the Andes and Sin Nombre hantavirus nucleocapsid protein to locate the identified epitopes. Based on the mean percent prediction probability score, epitope IMASKSVGS/TAEEKLKKKSAF was identified as the best candidate B-cell epitope specific for hantaviruses causing HCPS. Promiscuous epitopes were identified in the C-terminal of the protein. Our study for the first time has reported pan-specific B-cell epitopes for developing immunoassays in the detection of antibodies to hantaviruses causing HCPS. Identification of epitopes with pan-specific recognition of all genotypes causing HCPS could be valuable for the development of immunodiagnositic tools toward pan-detection of hantavirus antibodies in ELISA. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 2320-2324, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. Shared Ancestry between a Newfound Mole-Borne Hantavirus and Hantaviruses Harbored by Cricetid Rodents ▿†

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Hae Ji; Bennett, Shannon N.; Hope, Andrew G.; Cook, Joseph A.; Yanagihara, Richard

    2011-01-01

    Discovery of genetically distinct hantaviruses in multiple species of shrews (order Soricomorpha, family Soricidae) and moles (family Talpidae) contests the conventional view that rodents (order Rodentia, families Muridae and Cricetidae) are the principal reservoir hosts and suggests that the evolutionary history of hantaviruses is far more complex than previously hypothesized. We now report on Rockport virus (RKPV), a hantavirus identified in archival tissues of the eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus) collected in Rockport, TX, in 1986. Pairwise comparison of the full-length S, M, and L genomic segments indicated moderately low sequence similarity between RKPV and other soricomorph-borne hantaviruses. Phylogenetic analyses, using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods, showed that RKPV shared a most recent common ancestor with cricetid-rodent-borne hantaviruses. Distributed widely across the eastern United States, the fossorial eastern mole is sympatric and syntopic with cricetid rodents known to harbor hantaviruses, raising the possibility of host-switching events in the distant past. Our findings warrant more-detailed investigations on the dynamics of spillover and cross-species transmission of present-day hantaviruses within communities of rodents and moles. PMID:21632770

  12. Detection of different South American hantaviruses.

    PubMed

    Guterres, Alexandro; de Oliveira, Renata Carvalho; Fernandes, Jorlan; Schrago, Carlos Guerra; de Lemos, Elba Regina Sampaio

    2015-12-02

    Hantaviruses are the etiologic agents of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) in Old World, and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)/Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS), in the New World. Serological methods are the most common approach used for laboratory diagnosis of HCPS, however theses methods do not allow the characterization of viral genotypes. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been extensively used for diagnosis of viral infections, including those caused by hantaviruses, enabling detection of few target sequence copies in the sample. However, most studies proposed methods of PCR with species-specific primers. This study developed a simple and reliable diagnostic system by RT-PCR for different hantavirus detection. Using new primers set, we evaluated human and rodent hantavirus positive samples of various regions from Brazil. Besides, we performed computational analyzes to evaluate the detection of other South American hantaviruses. The diagnostic system by PCR proved to be a sensible and simple assay, allowing amplification of Juquitiba virus, Araraquara virus, Laguna Negra virus, Rio Mamore virus and Jabora virus, beyond of the possibility of the detecting Andes, Anajatuba, Bermejo, Choclo, Cano Delgadito, Lechiguanas, Maciel, Oran, Pergamino and Rio Mearim viruses. The primers sets designed in this study can detect hantaviruses from almost all known genetics lineages in Brazil and from others South America countries and also increases the possibility to detect new hantaviruses. These primers could easily be used both in diagnosis of suspected hantavirus infections in humans and also in studies with animals reservoirs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Role of nucleocapsid protein of hantaviruses in intracellular traffic of viral glycoproteins.

    PubMed

    Shimizu, Kenta; Yoshimatsu, Kumiko; Koma, Takaaki; Yasuda, Shumpei P; Arikawa, Jiro

    2013-12-26

    To understand the role of nucleocapsid protein (NP) of hantaviruses in viral assembly, the effect of NP on intracellular traffic of viral glycoproteins Gn and Gc was investigated. Double staining of viral and host proteins in Hantaan virus (HTNV)-infected Vero E6 cells showed that Gn and Gc were localized to cis-Golgi, in which virus particles are thought to be formed. When HTNV Gn and Gc were expressed by a plasmid encoding glycoprotein precursor (GPC), which is posttranslationally cleaved into Gn and Gc, Gn was localized to cis-Golgi, whereas Gc showed diffuse distribution in the cytoplasm in 32.9% of Gc-positive cells. The ratio of the diffused Gc-positive cells was significantly decreased to 15.0% by co-expression of HTNV NP. Co-expression of HTNV GPC with NPs of other hantaviruses, such as Seoul virus, Puumala virus and Sin Nombre virus, also reduced the ratios of diffused Gc-positive cells to 13.5%, 25.2%, and 11.6%, respectively. Among amino- and carboxyl-terminally truncated HTNV NPs, NP75-429, NP116-429, NP1-333, NP1-233, and NP1-155 possessed activity to reduce the ratio of diffused Gc-positive cells, while NP155-429 and NP1-116 did not. NP30-429 has partial activity. These results indicate that amino acid region 116-155 of NP is important for the activity, although amino acid region 1-30 is partially related. Truncation of the HTNV Gc cytoplasmic tail caused an increase in diffused Gc-positive cells. In addition, the effect of coexpression of HTNV NP was weakened. These results suggest that HTNV NP has a role to promote Golgi localization of Gc through a mechanism possibly mediated by the Gc cytoplasmic tail. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Massive plasmablast response elicited in the acute phase of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    García, Marina; Iglesias, Ayelén; Landoni, Verónica I; Bellomo, Carla; Bruno, Agostina; Córdoba, María Teresa; Balboa, Luciana; Fernández, Gabriela C; Sasiain, María Del Carmen; Martínez, Valeria P; Schierloh, Pablo

    2017-05-01

    Beside its key diagnostic value, the humoral immune response is thought to play a protective role in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. However, little is known about the cell source of these antibodies during ongoing human infection. Herein we characterized B-cell subsets circulating in Andes-virus-infected patients. A notable potent plasmablast (PB) response that increased 100-fold over the baseline levels was observed around 1 week after the onset of symptoms. These PB present a CD3 neg CD19 low CD20 neg CD38 hi CD27 hi CD138 +/- IgA +/- surface phenotype together with the presence of cytoplasmic functional immunoglobulins. They are large lymphocytes (lymphoblasts) morphologically coincident with the 'immunoblast-like' cells that have been previously described during blood cytology examinations of hantavirus-infected patients. Immunoreactivity analysis of white blood cell lysates suggests that some circulating PB are virus-specific but we also observed a significant increase of reactivity against virus-unrelated antigens, which suggests a possible bystander effect by polyclonal B-cell activation. The presence of this large and transient PB response raises the question as to whether these cells might have a protective or pathological role during the ongoing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and suggest their practical application as a diagnostic/prognostic biomarker. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Notes from the field: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome --- Maine, April 2011.

    PubMed

    2011-06-17

    On April 25, 2011, the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention was notified of a suspected case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in a man aged 70 years with no recent out-of-state travel. The Maine resident went to a community hospital in early April with a 5-day history of fatigue, decreased appetite, weakness, chills, myalgias, and progressive shortness of breath. On examination, he was hypoxic and tachypneic. The patient was admitted with laboratory evidence of acute renal insufficiency, leukocytosis and thrombocytopenia, and appearance of diffuse bilateral infiltrates on chest radiograph. Two days later, he was transferred to a tertiary-care facility for management of respiratory failure with hypoxemia and worsening renal insufficiency. The next day, he was intubated and mechanically ventilated. Serum specimens demonstrated high titers of hantavirus reactive immunoglobulin M (1:6,400) and immunoglobulin G (1:1,600) antibodies. Hantavirus RNA was detected in the patient's blood. The patient was discharged to a skilled nursing facility 1 month after admission and is recovering with extensive rehabilitation.

  16. Hantavirus Fever without Pulmonary Syndrome in Panama

    PubMed Central

    Armien, Blas; Pascale, Juan M.; Muñoz, Carlos; Mariñas, Jamileth; Núñez, Heydy; Herrera, Milagro; Trujillo, José; Sánchez, Deyanira; Mendoza, Yaxelis; Hjelle, Brian; Koster, Frederick

    2013-01-01

    In Panama, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is caused by Choclo virus, a species phylogenetically related to Andes and Maporal viruses. Up to 60% of the population has been positive for specific serum antibody in community-based surveys, but mortality is very uncommon. In four western Panama clinics, we tested individuals presenting with a severe febrile prodrome for acute hantavirus (HV) infection by immunoglobulin M enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction as well as clinically similar infections, such as dengue and leptospirosis. From 2006 to 2009, at least 21% of 117 patients diagnosed with HV infection had HV Fever (HF) with no evidence of pulmonary edema (no respiratory distress or radiographic lung infiltrates), and 44% of patients had very mild HPS (radiographic pulmonary edema but no respiratory insufficiency). HV infection caused by Choclo virus in Panama presents often as HF, which contrasts with HV in the Americas but is consistent with the high seroprevalence in endemic regions. PMID:23836565

  17. Hantavirus fever without pulmonary syndrome in Panama.

    PubMed

    Armien, Blas; Pascale, Juan M; Muñoz, Carlos; Mariñas, Jamileth; Núñez, Heydy; Herrera, Milagro; Trujillo, José; Sánchez, Deyanira; Mendoza, Yaxelis; Hjelle, Brian; Koster, Frederick

    2013-09-01

    In Panama, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is caused by Choclo virus, a species phylogenetically related to Andes and Maporal viruses. Up to 60% of the population has been positive for specific serum antibody in community-based surveys, but mortality is very uncommon. In four western Panama clinics, we tested individuals presenting with a severe febrile prodrome for acute hantavirus (HV) infection by immunoglobulin M enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction as well as clinically similar infections, such as dengue and leptospirosis. From 2006 to 2009, at least 21% of 117 patients diagnosed with HV infection had HV Fever (HF) with no evidence of pulmonary edema (no respiratory distress or radiographic lung infiltrates), and 44% of patients had very mild HPS (radiographic pulmonary edema but no respiratory insufficiency). HV infection caused by Choclo virus in Panama presents often as HF, which contrasts with HV in the Americas but is consistent with the high seroprevalence in endemic regions.

  18. Convalescent pulmonary dysfunction following hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Panama and the United States.

    PubMed

    Gracia, Fernando; Armien, Blas; Simpson, Steven Q; Munoz, Carlos; Broce, Candida; Pascale, Juan Miguel; Koster, Frederick

    2010-10-01

    The objective of this study was to document persistent pulmonary symptoms and pulmonary function abnormalities in adults surviving hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Acute infection by most hantaviruses result in mortality rates of 25-35%, while in Panama the mortality rate of 10% is contrasted by an unusually high incidence. In all types of HPS, the viral prodrome, cardiopulmonary phase due to massive pulmonary capillary leak syndrome, and spontaneous diuresis are followed by a convalescent phase with exertional dyspnea for 3-4 weeks, but the frequency of persistent symptoms is not known. In this observational study of a convenience sample, 14 survivors of HPS caused by Choclo virus infection in Panama and 9 survivors of HPS caused by Sin Nombre virus infection in New Mexico completed a questionnaire and pulmonary function tests up to 8 years after infection. In both groups, exertional dyspnea persisted for 1-2 years after acute infection in 43% (Panama) and 77% (New Mexico) of survivors surveyed. Reduction in midexpiratory flows (FEF(25-75%)), increased residual volume (RV), and reduced diffusion capacity (D(L)CO/VA) also were common in both populations; but the severity of reduced expiratory flow did not correlate with exertional dyspnea. Symptoms referable to previous hantavirus infection had resolved within 3 years of acute infection in most but not all patients in the Panama group. Temporary exertional dyspnea and reduced expiratory flow are common in early convalescence after HPS but resolves in almost all patients.

  19. Phylogenetic Relationship of Necoclí Virus to Other South American Hantaviruses (Bunyaviridae: Hantavirus).

    PubMed

    Montoya-Ruiz, Carolina; Cajimat, Maria N B; Milazzo, Mary Louise; Diaz, Francisco J; Rodas, Juan David; Valbuena, Gustavo; Fulhorst, Charles F

    2015-07-01

    The results of a previous study suggested that Cherrie's cane rat (Zygodontomys cherriei) is the principal host of Necoclí virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus) in Colombia. Bayesian analyses of complete nucleocapsid protein gene sequences and complete glycoprotein precursor gene sequences in this study confirmed that Necoclí virus is phylogenetically closely related to Maporal virus, which is principally associated with the delicate pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys delicatus) in western Venezuela. In pairwise comparisons, nonidentities between the complete amino acid sequence of the nucleocapsid protein of Necoclí virus and the complete amino acid sequences of the nucleocapsid proteins of other hantaviruses were ≥8.7%. Likewise, nonidentities between the complete amino acid sequence of the glycoprotein precursor of Necoclí virus and the complete amino acid sequences of the glycoprotein precursors of other hantaviruses were ≥11.7%. Collectively, the unique association of Necoclí virus with Z. cherriei in Colombia, results of the Bayesian analyses of complete nucleocapsid protein gene sequences and complete glycoprotein precursor gene sequences, and results of the pairwise comparisons of amino acid sequences strongly support the notion that Necoclí virus represents a novel species in the genus Hantavirus. Further work is needed to determine whether Calabazo virus (a hantavirus associated with Z. brevicauda cherriei in Panama) and Necoclí virus are conspecific.

  20. Phylogenetic characterization of hantaviruses from wild rodents and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases in the state of Parana (southern Brazil).

    PubMed

    Raboni, Sonia Mara; Hoffmann, Federico G; Oliveira, Renata C; Teixeira, Bernardo R; Bonvicino, Cibele R; Stella, Vanessa; Carstensen, Suzana; Bordignon, Juliano; D'Andrea, Paulo S; Lemos, Elba R S; Duarte Dos Santos, Claudia Nunes

    2009-09-01

    Over 1,100 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) have occurred in Brazil since 1993, but little is known about Brazilian hantaviruses, and many of their rodent hosts remain unknown. The Araucaria hantavirus (ARAUV) was described recently from HPS patients from Paraná, in southern Brazil, but its host could not be identified. In this study, rodents were captured from regions with high HPS prevalence to address this issue. ARAUV RNA was detected in three distantly related rodent species: Oligoryzomys nigripes, Oxymycterus judex and Akodon montensis. Furthermore, a specimen of A. montensis was infected with a Jaborá-like virus, implying that A. montensis can be infected by at least two different hantaviruses. The presence of the same hantavirus strain in three different rodent species and the co-circulation of two different strains in the same rodent species highlight the potential for genomic reassortment, which could have an impact on hantavirus transmission dynamics in nature and on human epidemiology.

  1. Hantavirus Infection Prevalence in Wild Rodents and Human Anti-Hantavirus Serological Profiles from Different Geographic Areas of South Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Raboni, Sonia M.; Delfraro, Adriana; de Borba, Luana; Teixeira, Bernardo R.; Stella, Vanessa; de Araujo, Marina R.; Carstensen, Suzana; Rubio, Giselia; Maron, Angela; Lemos, Elba R. S.; D'Andrea, Paulo S.; Duarte dos Santos, Claudia N.

    2012-01-01

    Paraná state presents the fourth highest number of accumulated cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Brazil. To map the risk areas for hantavirus transmission we carried out a study based on rodent trapping and determined the anti-hantavirus seroprevalence in these animals and in the inhabitants of these localities. Overall seroprevalence in rodents and humans were 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Eighty-two percent of the seropositive rodents were genetically analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that hantaviruses from rodent samples cluster with Araucária (Juquitiba-like) or Jaborá hantavirus genotypes. The Jaborá strain was identified in Akodon serrensis and Akodon montensis, whereas the Araucária strain was detected in Oligoryzomys nigripes, Oxymycterus judex, A. montensis, and Akodon paranaensis, with the latter species being identified for the first time as a natural host. These findings expose the complex relationships between virus and reservoirs in Brazil, which could have an impact on hantavirus transmission dynamics in nature and human epidemiology. PMID:22855773

  2. Hantavirus infection prevalence in wild rodents and human anti-hantavirus serological profiles from different geographic areas of South Brazil.

    PubMed

    Raboni, Sonia M; Delfraro, Adriana; de Borba, Luana; Teixeira, Bernardo R; Stella, Vanessa; de Araujo, Marina R; Carstensen, Suzana; Rubio, Giselia; Maron, Angela; Lemos, Elba R S; D'Andrea, Paulo S; Duarte dos Santos, Claudia N

    2012-08-01

    Paraná state presents the fourth highest number of accumulated cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Brazil. To map the risk areas for hantavirus transmission we carried out a study based on rodent trapping and determined the anti-hantavirus seroprevalence in these animals and in the inhabitants of these localities. Overall seroprevalence in rodents and humans were 2.5% and 2.4%, respectively. Eighty-two percent of the seropositive rodents were genetically analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that hantaviruses from rodent samples cluster with Araucária (Juquitiba-like) or Jaborá hantavirus genotypes. The Jaborá strain was identified in Akodon serrensis and Akodon montensis, whereas the Araucária strain was detected in Oligoryzomys nigripes, Oxymycterus judex, A. montensis, and Akodon paranaensis, with the latter species being identified for the first time as a natural host. These findings expose the complex relationships between virus and reservoirs in Brazil, which could have an impact on hantavirus transmission dynamics in nature and human epidemiology.

  3. Serologic evidence for human hantavirus infection in Peru.

    PubMed

    Castillo Oré, Roger M; Forshey, Brett M; Huaman, Alfredo; Villaran, Manuel V; Long, Kanya C; Kochel, Tadeusz J; Guevara, Carolina; Montgomery, Joel M; Alvarez, Carlos A; Vilcarromero, Stalin; Morrison, Amy C; Halsey, Eric S

    2012-08-01

    While human illness associated with hantavirus infection has been documented in many countries of South America, evidence for hantavirus transmission in Peru has been limited to the isolation of Rio Mamore virus from a pigmy mouse rat (Oligoryzomys microtis) in the Amazon city of Iquitos. To address the possibility of human hantavirus exposure in the region, we screened febrile patients reporting to health clinics in Iquitos from 2007 to 2010 for serological evidence of recent hantavirus infection. In addition, we conducted a serological survey for hantavirus-reactive IgG among healthy participants residing in Iquitos and rural areas surrounding the city. Through the febrile surveillance study, we identified 15 participants (0.3%; 15/5174) with IgM reactive to hantavirus (Andes virus) antigen, all with relatively mild, self-limited illness. From the cross-sectional serosurvey we found that 1.7% (36/2063) of residents of the Iquitos area had serum IgG reactive to one or more hantaviruses, with a higher prevalence in the urban population (2.2%, compared to 1.1% in rural areas). These results suggest that human infection with hantavirus has occurred in Peru.

  4. An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Chile, 1997.

    PubMed Central

    Toro, J.; Vega, J. D.; Khan, A. S.; Mills, J. N.; Padula, P.; Terry, W.; Yadón, Z.; Valderrama, R.; Ellis, B. A.; Pavletic, C.; Cerda, R.; Zaki, S.; Shieh, W. J.; Meyer, R.; Tapia, M.; Mansilla, C.; Baro, M.; Vergara, J. A.; Concha, M.; Calderon, G.; Enria, D.; Peters, C. J.; Ksiazek, T. G.

    1998-01-01

    An outbreak of 25 cases of Andes virus-associated hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) was recognized in southern Chile from July 1997 through January 1998. In addition to the HPS patients, three persons with mild hantaviral disease and one person with asymptomatic acute infection were identified. Epidemiologic studies suggested person-to-person transmission in two of three family clusters. Ecologic studies showed very high densities of several species of sigmodontine rodents in the area. PMID:9866751

  5. Differential Lymphocyte and Antibody Responses in Deer Mice Infected with Sin Nombre Hantavirus or Andes Hantavirus

    PubMed Central

    Quackenbush, Sandra; Rovnak, Joel; Haddock, Elaine; Black, William C.; Feldmann, Heinz; Prescott, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is a rodent-borne disease with a high case-fatality rate that is caused by several New World hantaviruses. Each pathogenic hantavirus is naturally hosted by a principal rodent species without conspicuous disease and infection is persistent, perhaps for life. Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are the natural reservoirs of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the etiologic agent of most HCPS cases in North America. Deer mice remain infected despite a helper T cell response that leads to high-titer neutralizing antibodies. Deer mice are also susceptible to Andes hantavirus (ANDV), which causes most HCPS cases in South America; however, deer mice clear ANDV. We infected deer mice with SNV or ANDV to identify differences in host responses that might account for this differential outcome. SNV RNA levels were higher in the lungs but not different in the heart, spleen, or kidneys. Most ANDV-infected deer mice had seroconverted 14 days after inoculation, but none of the SNV-infected deer mice had. Examination of lymph node cell antigen recall responses identified elevated immune gene expression in deer mice infected with ANDV and suggested maturation toward a Th2 or T follicular helper phenotype in some ANDV-infected deer mice, including activation of the interleukin 4 (IL-4) pathway in T cells and B cells. These data suggest that the rate of maturation of the immune response is substantially higher and of greater magnitude during ANDV infection, and these differences may account for clearance of ANDV and persistence of SNV. IMPORTANCE Hantaviruses persistently infect their reservoir rodent hosts without pathology. It is unknown how these viruses evade sterilizing immune responses in the reservoirs. We have determined that infection of the deer mouse with its homologous hantavirus, Sin Nombre virus, results in low levels of immune gene expression in antigen-stimulated lymph node cells and a poor antibody response. However, infection

  6. Differential lymphocyte and antibody responses in deer mice infected with Sin Nombre hantavirus or Andes hantavirus.

    PubMed

    Schountz, Tony; Quackenbush, Sandra; Rovnak, Joel; Haddock, Elaine; Black, William C; Feldmann, Heinz; Prescott, Joseph

    2014-08-01

    Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is a rodent-borne disease with a high case-fatality rate that is caused by several New World hantaviruses. Each pathogenic hantavirus is naturally hosted by a principal rodent species without conspicuous disease and infection is persistent, perhaps for life. Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are the natural reservoirs of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the etiologic agent of most HCPS cases in North America. Deer mice remain infected despite a helper T cell response that leads to high-titer neutralizing antibodies. Deer mice are also susceptible to Andes hantavirus (ANDV), which causes most HCPS cases in South America; however, deer mice clear ANDV. We infected deer mice with SNV or ANDV to identify differences in host responses that might account for this differential outcome. SNV RNA levels were higher in the lungs but not different in the heart, spleen, or kidneys. Most ANDV-infected deer mice had seroconverted 14 days after inoculation, but none of the SNV-infected deer mice had. Examination of lymph node cell antigen recall responses identified elevated immune gene expression in deer mice infected with ANDV and suggested maturation toward a Th2 or T follicular helper phenotype in some ANDV-infected deer mice, including activation of the interleukin 4 (IL-4) pathway in T cells and B cells. These data suggest that the rate of maturation of the immune response is substantially higher and of greater magnitude during ANDV infection, and these differences may account for clearance of ANDV and persistence of SNV. Hantaviruses persistently infect their reservoir rodent hosts without pathology. It is unknown how these viruses evade sterilizing immune responses in the reservoirs. We have determined that infection of the deer mouse with its homologous hantavirus, Sin Nombre virus, results in low levels of immune gene expression in antigen-stimulated lymph node cells and a poor antibody response. However, infection of deer mice with a

  7. Hantavirus-infection Confers Resistance to Cytotoxic Lymphocyte-Mediated Apoptosis

    PubMed Central

    Gupta, Shawon; Braun, Monika; Tischler, Nicole D.; Stoltz, Malin; Sundström, Karin B.; Björkström, Niklas K.; Ljunggren, Hans-Gustaf; Klingström, Jonas

    2013-01-01

    Hantaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus cardio-pulmonary syndrome (HCPS; also called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS)), both human diseases with high case-fatality rates. Endothelial cells are the main targets for hantaviruses. An intriguing observation in patients with HFRS and HCPS is that on one hand the virus infection leads to strong activation of CD8 T cells and NK cells, on the other hand no obvious destruction of infected endothelial cells is observed. Here, we provide an explanation for this dichotomy by showing that hantavirus-infected endothelial cells are protected from cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated induction of apoptosis. When dissecting potential mechanisms behind this phenomenon, we discovered that the hantavirus nucleocapsid protein inhibits the enzymatic activity of both granzyme B and caspase 3. This provides a tentative explanation for the hantavirus-mediated block of cytotoxic granule-mediated apoptosis-induction, and hence the protection of infected cells from cytotoxic lymphocytes. These findings may explain why infected endothelial cells in hantavirus-infected patients are not destroyed by the strong cytotoxic lymphocyte response. PMID:23555267

  8. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome: encephalitis caused by virus Andes.

    PubMed

    Talamonti, Lionel; Padula, Paula J; Canteli, María Sol; Posner, Federico; Marczeski, Fanny Pires; Weller, Carlos

    2011-04-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) are rodent-borne emerging diseases caused by members of the genus Hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae. Some species of hantavirus may cause encephalitis, but this is the first report in Andes virus associated to HPS.

  9. Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia amblyommii, and Laguna Negra hantavirus in an Indian reserve in the Brazilian Amazon.

    PubMed

    de Barros Lopes, Lívia; Guterres, Alexandro; Rozental, Tatiana; Carvalho de Oliveira, Renata; Mares-Guia, Maria Angélica; Fernandes, Jorlan; Figueredo, José Ferreira; Anschau, Inês; de Jesus, Sebastião; V Almeida, Ana Beatriz M; Cristina da Silva, Valéria; Gomes de Melo Via, Alba Valéria; Bonvicino, Cibele Rodrigues; D'Andrea, Paulo Sérgio; Barreira, Jairo Dias; Sampaio de Lemos, Elba Regina

    2014-04-17

    The purpose of this study was to identify the presence of rickettsia and hantavirus in wild rodents and arthropods in response to an outbreak of acute unidentified febrile illness among Indians in the Halataikwa Indian Reserve, northwest of the Mato Grosso state, in the Brazilian Amazon. Where previously surveillance data showed serologic evidence of rickettsia and hantavirus human infection. The arthropods were collected from the healthy Indian population and by flagging vegetation in grassland or woodland along the peridomestic environment of the Indian reserve. Wild rodents were live-trapped in an area bordering the reserve limits, due the impossibility of capturing wild animals in the Indian reserve. The wild rodents were identified based on external and cranial morphology and karyotype. DNA was extracted from spleen or liver samples of rodents and from invertebrate (tick and louse) pools, and the molecular characterization of the rickettsia was through PCR and DNA sequencing of fragments of two rickettsial genes (gltA and ompA). In relation to hantavirus, rodent serum samples were serologically screened by IgG ELISA using the Araraquara-N antigen and total RNA was extracted from lung samples of IgG-positive rodents. The amplification of the complete S segment was performed. A total of 153 wild rodents, 121 louse, and 36 tick specimens were collected in 2010. Laguna Negra hantavirus was identified in Calomys callidus rodents and Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia amblyommii were identified in Amblyomma cajennense ticks. Zoonotic diseases such as HCPS and spotted fever rickettsiosis are a public health threat and should be considered in outbreaks and acute febrile illnesses among Indian populations. The presence of the genome of rickettsias and hantavirus in animals in this Indian reserve reinforces the need to include these infectious agents in outbreak investigations of febrile cases in Indian populations.

  10. Reservoir-Driven Heterogeneous Distribution of Recorded Human Puumala virus Cases in South-West Germany.

    PubMed

    Drewes, S; Turni, H; Rosenfeld, U M; Obiegala, A; Straková, P; Imholt, C; Glatthaar, E; Dressel, K; Pfeffer, M; Jacob, J; Wagner-Wiening, C; Ulrich, R G

    2017-08-01

    Endemic regions for Puumala virus (PUUV) are located in the most affected federal state Baden-Wuerttemberg, South-West Germany, where high numbers of notified human hantavirus disease cases have been occurring for a long time. The distribution of human cases in Baden-Wuerttemberg is, however, heterogeneous, with a high number of cases recorded during 2012 in four districts (H districts) but a low number or even no cases recorded in four other districts (L districts). Bank vole monitoring during 2012, following a beech (Fagus sylvatica) mast year, resulted in the trapping of 499 bank voles, the host of PUUV. Analyses indicated PUUV prevalences of 7-50% (serological) and 1.8-27.5% (molecular) in seven of eight districts, but an absence of PUUV in one L district. The PUUV prevalence differed significantly between bank voles in H and L districts. In the following year 2013, 161 bank voles were trapped, with reduced bank vole abundance in almost all investigated districts except one. In 2013, no PUUV infections were detected in voles from seven of eight districts. In conclusion, the linear modelling approach indicated that the heterogeneous distribution of human PUUV cases in South-West Germany was caused by different factors including the abundance of PUUV RNA-positive bank voles, as well as by the interaction of beech mast and the proportional coverage of beech and oak (Quercus spec.) forest per district. These results can aid developing local public health risk management measures and early warning models. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  11. Multiplex Analysis of Serum Cytokines in Humans with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Morzunov, Sergey P; Khaiboullina, Svetlana F; St Jeor, Stephen; Rizvanov, Albert A; Lombardi, Vincent C

    2015-01-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an acute zoonotic disease transmitted primarily through inhalation of virus-contaminated aerosols. Hantavirus infection of endothelial cells leads to increased vascular permeability without a visible cytopathic effect. For this reason, it has been suggested that the pathogenesis of HPS is indirect with immune responses, such as cytokine production, playing a dominant role. In order to investigate their potential contribution to HPS pathogenesis, we analyzed the serum of hantavirus-infected subjects and healthy controls for 68 different cytokines, chemokines, angiogenic, and growth factors. Our analysis identified differential expression of cytokines that promote tissue migration of mononuclear cells including T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells. Additionally, we observed a significant upregulation of cytokines known to regulate leukocyte migration and subsequent repair of lung tissue, as well as cytokines known to increase endothelial monolayer permeability and facilitate leukocyte transendothelial migration. Conversely, we observed a downregulation of cytokines associated with platelet numbers and function, consistent with the thrombocytopenia observed in subjects with HPS. This study corroborates clinical findings and extends our current knowledge regarding immunological and laboratory findings in subjects with HPS.

  12. A Fatal Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Misdiagnosed as Dengue: An Investigation into the First Reported Case in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

    PubMed

    de Oliveira, Renata Carvalho; Guterres, Alexandro; Teixeira, Bernardo Rodrigues; Fernandes, Jorlan; Júnior, João Marcos Penna; de Jesus Oliveira Júnior, Reynaldo; Pereira, Liana Strecht; Júnior, João Bosco; Meneguete, Patrícia Soares; Dias, Cristina Maria Giordano; Bonvicino, Cibele Rodrigues; D'Andrea, Paulo Sérgio; de Lemos, Elba Regina Sampaio

    2017-07-01

    We report the results of an investigation into a fatal case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, where the disease had not been reported previous to 2015. Following the notification of an HPS case, serum samples were collected from the household members and work contacts of the HPS patient and tested for antibody to hantaviruses. Seroprevalence of 22% (10/45) was indicated for hantavirus out of 45 human samples tested. Blood and tissue samples were collected from 72 rodents during fieldwork to evaluate the prevalence of hantavirus infection, by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay IgG, and to characterize the rodent hantavirus reservoir(s), by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. Antibody prevalence was 6.9%. The circulation of a single genotype, the Juquitiba hantavirus, carried by two rodent species, black-footed pigmy rice rat ( Oligoryzomys nigripes ) and cursor grass mouse ( Akodon cursor ), was shown by analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the S segment. Juquitiba hantavirus circulates in rodents of various species, but mainly in the black-footed pigmy rice rat. HPS is a newly recognized clinical entity in Rio de Janeiro State and should be considered in patients with febrile illness and acute respiratory distress.

  13. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome: a concise clinical review.

    PubMed

    Vinh, Donald C; Embil, John M

    2009-06-01

    In 1978, hantaviruses were first described as the etiological agent of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Korea. Since then, numerous related, enveloped, negative-stranded RNA viruses have been identified, forming the genus Hantavirus within the family Bunyaviridae. These pathogens are distributed worldwide and thus can be classified, on the basis of phylogenetic origins, into Old World viruses or New World viruses (ie North, Central, and South America). Similarly, these viruses cause two major types of syndromes, corresponding respectively to their phylogenies: the original HFRS or the more recently described hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). As the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is the primary hantaviral disease in North America, it will thus be the focus of this review.

  14. [Study on the genetic difference of SEO type Hantaviruses].

    PubMed

    Zhang, X; Zhou, S; Wang, H; Hu, J; Guan, Z; Liu, H

    2000-10-01

    To understand the genetic type of Hantaviruses and the difference between them caused by rodents in Beijing and to furhter explore the source of the infectious factors. Hantavirus RNA, isolated from lungs of rodents captured in Beijing and positive with Hantavirus antigens with frozen sectioning and Immunofluorescent assay, were reverse-transcribed and amplified with PCR with Hantavirus-specific primers. Five of the PCR amplifications were discovered and sequenced with 300 bp sequence data of M segments (from 2003 - 2302nt according cDNA of seoul 8039 strain). Nucleotide sequence homology showed that they were sequences of SEO-type Hantavirus. Compared with SEO type Hantavirus, the nucleotide sequence homology of these samples was more than 94% while the homology of amonia acid sequence was more than 98%. When compared with HNT type Hantavirus, the homology of nucleotide sequence became less than 72% with the homology of amonia acid sequence less than 81%. Similar to other Hantavirus of SEO type, their nucleotide sequences and deduced amino acid sequences were highly preserved. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the five viruses could be divided into at least 4 branches. It was quite likely that there were at least two sub-type SEO viruses with 4 branches that were circulating in Beijing.

  15. Pathophysiology of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in rhesus macaques.

    PubMed

    Safronetz, David; Prescott, Joseph; Feldmann, Friederike; Haddock, Elaine; Rosenke, Rebecca; Okumura, Atsushi; Brining, Douglas; Dahlstrom, Eric; Porcella, Stephen F; Ebihara, Hideki; Scott, Dana P; Hjelle, Brian; Feldmann, Heinz

    2014-05-13

    The pathophysiology of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) remains unclear because of a lack of surrogate disease models with which to perform pathogenesis studies. Nonhuman primates (NHP) are considered the gold standard model for studying the underlying immune activation/suppression associated with immunopathogenic viruses such as hantaviruses; however, to date an NHP model for HPS has not been described. Here we show that rhesus macaques infected with Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the primary etiological agent of HPS in North America, propagated in deer mice develop HPS, which is characterized by thrombocytopenia, leukocytosis, and rapid onset of respiratory distress caused by severe interstitial pneumonia. Despite establishing a systemic infection, SNV differentially activated host responses exclusively in the pulmonary endothelium, potentially the mechanism leading to acute severe respiratory distress. This study presents a unique chronological characterization of SNV infection and provides mechanistic data into the pathophysiology of HPS in a closely related surrogate animal model. We anticipate this model will advance our understanding of HPS pathogenesis and will greatly facilitate research toward the development of effective therapeutics and vaccines against hantaviral diseases.

  16. Environmental conditions and Puumala virus transmission in Belgium

    PubMed Central

    Linard, Catherine; Tersago, Katrien; Leirs, Herwig; Lambin, Eric F

    2007-01-01

    Background Non-vector-borne zoonoses such as Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) can be transmitted directly, by physical contact between infected and susceptible hosts, or indirectly, with the environment as an intermediate. The objective of this study is to better understand the causal link between environmental features and PUUV prevalence in bank vole population in Belgium, and hence with transmission risk to humans. Our hypothesis was that environmental conditions controlling the direct and indirect transmission paths differ, such that the risk of transmission to humans is not only determined by host abundance. We explored the relationship between, on one hand, environmental variables and, on the other hand, host abundance, PUUV prevalence in the host, and human cases of nephropathia epidemica (NE). Statistical analyses were carried out on 17 field sites situated in Belgian broadleaf forests. Results Linear regressions showed that landscape attributes, particularly landscape configuration, influence the abundance of hosts in broadleaf forests. Based on logistic regressions, we show that PUUV prevalence among bank voles is more linked to variables favouring the survival of the virus in the environment, and thus the indirect transmission: low winter temperatures are strongly linked to prevalence among bank voles, and high soil moisture is linked to the number of NE cases among humans. The transmission risk to humans therefore depends on the efficiency of the indirect transmission path. Human risk behaviours, such as the propensity for people to go in forest areas that best support the virus, also influence the number of human cases. Conclusion The transmission risk to humans of non-vector-borne zoonoses such as PUUV depends on a combination of various environmental factors. To understand the complex causal pathways between the environment and disease risk, one should distinguish between environmental factors related to the abundance of hosts such as land

  17. Spatial and Temporal Epidemiology of Nephropathia Epidemica Incidence and Hantavirus Seroprevalence in Rodent Hosts: Identification of the Main Environmental Factors in Europe.

    PubMed

    Monchatre-Leroy, E; Crespin, L; Boué, F; Marianneau, P; Calavas, D; Hénaux, V

    2017-08-01

    In Europe, the increasing number of nephropathia epidemica (NE) infections in humans, caused by Puumala virus carried by bank voles (Myodes glareolus), has triggered studies of environmental factors driving these infections. NE infections have been shown to occur in specific geographical areas characterized by environmental factors that influence the distribution and dynamics of host populations and virus persistence in the soil. Here, we review the influence of environmental conditions (including climate factors, food availability and habitat conditions) with respect to incidence in humans and seroprevalence in rodents, considering both direct and indirect transmission pathways. For each type of environmental factor, results and discrepancies between studies are presented and examined in the light of biological hypotheses. Overall, food availability and temperature appear to be the main drivers of host seroprevalence and NE incidence, but data quality and statistical approaches varied greatly among studies. We highlight the issues that now need to be addressed and suggest improvements for study design in regard to the current knowledge on hantavirus epidemiology. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  18. Andes hantavirus variant in rodents, southern Amazon Basin, Peru.

    PubMed

    Razuri, Hugo; Tokarz, Rafal; Ghersi, Bruno M; Salmon-Mulanovich, Gabriela; Guezala, M Claudia; Albujar, Christian; Mendoza, A Patricia; Tinoco, Yeny O; Cruz, Christopher; Silva, Maria; Vasquez, Alicia; Pacheco, Víctor; Ströher, Ute; Guerrero, Lisa Wiggleton; Cannon, Deborah; Nichol, Stuart T; Hirschberg, David L; Lipkin, W Ian; Bausch, Daniel G; Montgomery, Joel M

    2014-02-01

    We investigated hantaviruses in rodents in the southern Amazon Basin of Peru and identified an Andes virus variant from Neacomys spinosus mice. This finding extends the known range of this virus in South America and the range of recognized hantaviruses in Peru. Further studies of the epizoology of hantaviruses in this region are warranted.

  19. Andes Hantavirus Variant in Rodents, Southern Amazon Basin, Peru

    PubMed Central

    Tokarz, Rafal; Ghersi, Bruno M.; Salmon-Mulanovich, Gabriela; Guezala, M. Claudia; Albujar, Christian; Mendoza, A. Patricia; Tinoco, Yeny O.; Cruz, Christopher; Silva, Maria; Vasquez, Alicia; Pacheco, Víctor; Ströher, Ute; Guerrero, Lisa Wiggleton; Cannon, Deborah; Nichol, Stuart T.; Hirschberg, David L.; Lipkin, W. Ian; Bausch, Daniel G.; Montgomery, Joel M.

    2014-01-01

    We investigated hantaviruses in rodents in the southern Amazon Basin of Peru and identified an Andes virus variant from Neacomys spinosus mice. This finding extends the known range of this virus in South America and the range of recognized hantaviruses in Peru. Further studies of the epizoology of hantaviruses in this region are warranted. PMID:24447689

  20. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in the United States.

    PubMed

    Fabbri, Marilyn; Maslow, Melanie J.

    2001-06-01

    Since the first outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in 1993, understanding of the vast distribution and potential impact of hantaviruses has grown. At least 277 cases of HPS have been documented in the United States. The full clinical spectrum has yet to be elucidated, and one outbreak suggested the possibility of person-to-person transmission. New research has identified the b-3 integrins as cellular receptors for hantaviruses and has determined the pivotal role of the immune system in pathogenesis. Rapid diagnosis has been facilitated by a new immunoblot assay to detect Sin Nombre virus infection. Treatment remains primarily supportive; however, a placebo- controlled trial of ribavirin is ongoing. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may be a potential therapy in severe cases; inhaled nitric oxide needs further study. Vaccines developed against hantaviruses associated with hemorrhagic fever and renal syndrome might be effective against HPS-associated strains.

  1. Confirmation of Choclo virus as the cause of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome and high serum antibody prevalence in Panama.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Randin; Cañate, Raul; Pascale, Juan Miguel; Dragoo, Jerry W; Armien, Blas; Armien, Anibal G; Koster, Frederick

    2010-09-01

    Choclo virus (CHOV) was described in sigmodontine rodents, Oligoryzomys fulvescens, and humans during an outbreak of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in 1999-2000 in western Panama. Although HCPS is rare, hantavirus-specific serum antibody prevalence among the general population is high suggesting that CHOV may cause many mild or asymptomatic infections. The goals of this study were to confirm the role of CHOV in HCPS and in the frequently detected serum antibody and to establish the phylogenetic relationship with other New World hantaviruses. CHOV was cultured to facilitate the sequencing of the small (S) and medium (M) segments and to perform CHOV-specific serum neutralization antibody assays. Sequences of the S and M segments found a close relationship to other Oligoryzomys-borne hantaviruses in the Americas, highly conserved terminal nucleotides, and no evidence for recombination events. The maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony analyses of complete M segment nucleotide sequences indicate a close relationship to Maporal and Laguna Negra viruses, found at the base of the South American clade. In a focus neutralization assay acute and convalescent sera from six Panamanian HCPS patients neutralized CHOV in dilutions from 1:200 to 1:6,400. In a sample of antibody-positive adults without a history of HCPS, 9 of 10 sera neutralized CHOV in dilutions ranging from 1:100 to 1:6,400. Although cross-neutralization with other sympatric hantaviruses not yet associated with human disease is possible, CHOV appears to be the causal agent for most of the mild or asymptomatic hantavirus infections, as well as HCPS, in Panama.

  2. Dobrava Hantavirus Infection Complicated by Panhypopituitarism, Istanbul, Turkey, 2010

    PubMed Central

    Hofmann, Jörg; Canpolat, Alper Tunga; Türk, Ali; Ettinger, Jakob; Atmaca, Deniz; Akyar, Işın; Yücel, Serap; Arıkan, Ender; Uyar, Yavuz; Çağlayık, Dilek Y.; Kocagöz, Ayşe Sesin; Kaya, Ayşin; Kruger, Detlev H.

    2012-01-01

    We identified Dobrava-Belgrade virus infection in Turkey (from a strain related to hantavirus strains from nearby countries) in a patient who had severe symptoms leading to panhypopituitarism, but no known risk for hantavirus. Our findings emphasize the need for increased awareness of hantaviruses in the region and assessment of symptomatic persons without known risk factors for infection. PMID:22709722

  3. Genetic characterization of hantaviruses associated with sigmodontine rodents in an endemic area for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in southern Brazil.

    PubMed

    de Oliveira, Renata Carvalho; Padula, Paula J; Gomes, Raphael; Martinez, Valeria P; Bellomo, Carla; Bonvicino, Cibele R; Freire e Lima, Danúbia Inês; Bragagnolo, Camila; Caldas, Antônio C S; D'Andrea, Paulo S; de Lemos, Elba R S

    2011-03-01

    An ecological assessment of reservoir species was conducted in a rural area (Jaborá) in the mid-west of the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil, where hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is endemic, to evaluate the prevalence of hantavirus infection in wild rodents. Blood and tissue samples were collected from 507 rodents during seven field trips from March 2004 to April 2006. Some of the animals were karyotyped to confirm morphological identification. Phylogenetic reconstructions of rodent specimens, based on the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene sequences, were also obtained. Hantavirus antibody was found in 22 (4.3%) of the 507 rodents: 5 Akodon montensis, 2 Akodon paranaensis, 14 Oligoryzomys nigripes, and 1 Sooretamys angouya. Viral RNAs detected in O. nigripes and A. montensis were amplified and sequenced. O. nigripes virus genome was 97.5% (nt) and 98.4% (nt) identical to sequences published for Araucaria (Juquitiba-like) virus based on N and G2 fragment sequences. Viral sequences from A. montensis strain showed 89% and 88% nucleotide identities in a 905-nt fragment of the nucleocapsid (N) protein-coding region of the S segment when it was compared with two other Akodontine rodent-associated viruses from Paraguay, A. montensis and Akodon cursor, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed the cocirculation of two genetic hantavirus lineages in the state of Santa Catarina, one from O. nigripes and the other from A. montensis, previously characterized in Brazil and Paraguay, respectively. The hantavirus associated with A. montensis, designed Jaborá virus, represents a distinct phylogenetic lineage among the Brazilian hantaviruses.

  4. Hantavirus Reservoirs: Current Status with an Emphasis on Data from Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Carvalho de Oliveira, Renata; Guterres, Alexandro; Fernandes, Jorlan; D’Andrea, Paulo Sérgio; Bonvicino, Cibele Rodrigues; de Lemos, Elba Regina Sampaio

    2014-01-01

    Since the recognition of hantavirus as the agent responsible for haemorrhagic fever in Eurasia in the 1970s and, 20 years later, the descovery of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Americas, the genus Hantavirus has been continually described throughout the World in a variety of wild animals. The diversity of wild animals infected with hantaviruses has only recently come into focus as a result of expanded wildlife studies. The known reservoirs are more than 80, belonging to 51 species of rodents, 7 bats (order Chiroptera) and 20 shrews and moles (order Soricomorpha). More than 80genetically related viruses have been classified within Hantavirus genus; 25 recognized as human pathogens responsible for a large spectrum of diseases in the Old and New World. In Brazil, where the diversity of mammals and especially rodents is considered one of the largest in the world, 9 hantavirus genotypes have been identified in 12 rodent species belonging to the genus Akodon, Calomys, Holochilus, Oligoryzomys, Oxymycterus, Necromys and Rattus. Considering the increasing number of animals that have been implicated as reservoirs of different hantaviruses, the understanding of this diversity is important for evaluating the risk of distinct hantavirus species as human pathogens. PMID:24784571

  5. Recent Evidence of Hantavirus Circulation in the American Tropic

    PubMed Central

    Montoya-Ruiz, Carolina; Diaz, Francisco J.; Rodas, Juan D.

    2014-01-01

    Hantaan virus was discovered in Korea during the 1970s while other similar viruses were later reported in Asia and Europe. There was no information about hantavirus human infection in the Americas until 1993 when an outbreak was described in the United States. This event promoted new studies to find hantaviruses in the Americas. At first, many studies were conducted in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, while other Latin American countries began to report the presence of these agents towards the end of the 20th century. More than 30 hantaviruses have been reported in the Western Hemisphere with more frequent cases registered in the southern cone (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil). However there was an important outbreak in 2000 in Panama and some rare events have been described in Peru, Venezuela and French Guiana. Since hantaviruses have only recently emerged as a potential threat in the tropical zones of the Americas, this review compiles recent hantavirus reports in Central America, the Caribbean islands and the northern region of South America. These studies have generated the discovery of new hantaviruses and could help to anticipate the presentation of possible future outbreaks in the region. PMID:24638203

  6. Recent evidence of hantavirus circulation in the American tropic.

    PubMed

    Montoya-Ruiz, Carolina; Diaz, Francisco J; Rodas, Juan D

    2014-03-14

    Hantaan virus was discovered in Korea during the 1970s while other similar viruses were later reported in Asia and Europe. There was no information about hantavirus human infection in the Americas until 1993 when an outbreak was described in the United States. This event promoted new studies to find hantaviruses in the Americas. At first, many studies were conducted in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay, while other Latin American countries began to report the presence of these agents towards the end of the 20th century. More than 30 hantaviruses have been reported in the Western Hemisphere with more frequent cases registered in the southern cone (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil). However there was an important outbreak in 2000 in Panama and some rare events have been described in Peru, Venezuela and French Guiana. Since hantaviruses have only recently emerged as a potential threat in the tropical zones of the Americas, this review compiles recent hantavirus reports in Central America, the Caribbean islands and the northern region of South America. These studies have generated the discovery of new hantaviruses and could help to anticipate the presentation of possible future outbreaks in the region.

  7. What Do We Know about How Hantaviruses Interact with Their Different Hosts?

    PubMed Central

    Ermonval, Myriam; Baychelier, Florence; Tordo, Noël

    2016-01-01

    Hantaviruses, like other members of the Bunyaviridae family, are emerging viruses that are able to cause hemorrhagic fevers. Occasional transmission to humans is due to inhalation of contaminated aerosolized excreta from infected rodents. Hantaviruses are asymptomatic in their rodent or insectivore natural hosts with which they have co-evolved for millions of years. In contrast, hantaviruses cause different pathologies in humans with varying mortality rates, depending on the hantavirus species and its geographic origin. Cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) have been reported in Europe and Asia, while hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndromes (HCPS) are observed in the Americas. In some cases, diseases caused by Old World hantaviruses exhibit HCPS-like symptoms. Although the etiologic agents of HFRS were identified in the early 1980s, the way hantaviruses interact with their different hosts still remains elusive. What are the entry receptors? How do hantaviruses propagate in the organism and how do they cope with the immune system? This review summarizes recent data documenting interactions established by pathogenic and nonpathogenic hantaviruses with their natural or human hosts that could highlight their different outcomes. PMID:27529272

  8. Differential Regulation of PAI-1 in Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome and Hemorrhagic Fever With Renal Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Bellomo, Carla; Korva, Miša; Papa, Anna; Mäkelä, Satu; Mustonen, Jukka; Avšič-Županc, Tatjana; Vaheri, Antti; Martinez, Valeria P; Strandin, Tomas

    2018-02-01

    We analyzed the levels of circulating tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 in acute hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The levels of tPA commonly increased in both diseases, whereas PAI-1 correlated with disease severity in HCPS but not in HFRS.

  9. Phylogeny and origins of hantaviruses harbored by bats, insectivores, and rodents.

    PubMed

    Guo, Wen-Ping; Lin, Xian-Dan; Wang, Wen; Tian, Jun-Hua; Cong, Mei-Li; Zhang, Hai-Lin; Wang, Miao-Ruo; Zhou, Run-Hong; Wang, Jian-Bo; Li, Ming-Hui; Xu, Jianguo; Holmes, Edward C; Zhang, Yong-Zhen

    2013-02-01

    Hantaviruses are among the most important zoonotic pathogens of humans and the subject of heightened global attention. Despite the importance of hantaviruses for public health, there is no consensus on their evolutionary history and especially the frequency of virus-host co-divergence versus cross-species virus transmission. Documenting the extent of hantavirus biodiversity, and particularly their range of mammalian hosts, is critical to resolving this issue. Here, we describe four novel hantaviruses (Huangpi virus, Lianghe virus, Longquan virus, and Yakeshi virus) sampled from bats and shrews in China, and which are distinct from other known hantaviruses. Huangpi virus was found in Pipistrellus abramus, Lianghe virus in Anourosorex squamipes, Longquan virus in Rhinolophus affinis, Rhinolophus sinicus, and Rhinolophus monoceros, and Yakeshi virus in Sorex isodon, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis of the available diversity of hantaviruses reveals the existence of four phylogroups that infect a range of mammalian hosts, as well as the occurrence of ancient reassortment events between the phylogroups. Notably, the phylogenetic histories of the viruses are not always congruent with those of their hosts, suggesting that cross-species transmission has played a major role during hantavirus evolution and at all taxonomic levels, although we also noted some evidence for virus-host co-divergence. Our phylogenetic analysis also suggests that hantaviruses might have first appeared in Chiroptera (bats) or Soricomorpha (moles and shrews), before emerging in rodent species. Overall, these data indicate that bats are likely to be important natural reservoir hosts of hantaviruses.

  10. Hantavirus Reservoir Hosts Associated with Peridomestic Habitats in Argentina

    PubMed Central

    Pini, Noemí; Bolpe, Jorge; Levis, Silvana; Mills, James; Segura, Elsa; Guthmann, Nadia; Cantoni, Gustavo; Becker, José; Fonollat, Ana; Ripoll, Carlos; Bortman, Marcelo; Benedetti, Rosendo; Sabattini, Marta; Enria, Delia

    1999-01-01

    Five species of sigmodontine rodents have been identified in Argentina as the putative reservoirs of six circulating hantavirus genotypes. Two species of Oligoryzomys are associated with the genotypes causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Oligoryzomys flavescens for Lechiguanas and O. longicaudatus for Andes and Oran genotypes. Reports of human cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome prompted rodent trapping (2,299 rodents of 32 species during 27,780 trap nights) at potential exposure sites in three disease-endemic areas. Antibody reactive to Sin Nombre virus was found in six species, including the known hantavirus reservoir species. Risk for peridomestic exposure to host species that carry recognized human pathogens was high in all three major disease-endemic areas. PMID:10603213

  11. Presence of hantavirus in small mammals of the Ouachita Mountains

    Treesearch

    Roger W. Perry; Ronald E. Thill; Philip A. Tappe; M. Anthony Melchiors

    1997-01-01

    In 1993, an outbreak of human hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) occurred in the southwestern United States causing severe pulmonary dysfunction and death among most of those infected. Shortly after the outbreak, the causative agent was identified as the Sin Nombre virus (SNV), a virus of the genus Hantavirus. Several hantaviruses have since been identified in North...

  12. Hantavirus immunology of rodent reservoirs: current status and future directions.

    PubMed

    Schountz, Tony; Prescott, Joseph

    2014-03-14

    Hantaviruses are hosted by rodents, insectivores and bats. Several rodent-borne hantaviruses cause two diseases that share many features in humans, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Eurasia or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in the Americas. It is thought that the immune response plays a significant contributory role in these diseases. However, in reservoir hosts that have been closely examined, little or no pathology occurs and infection is persistent despite evidence of adaptive immune responses. Because most hantavirus reservoirs are not model organisms, it is difficult to conduct meaningful experiments that might shed light on how the viruses evade sterilizing immune responses and why immunopathology does not occur. Despite these limitations, recent advances in instrumentation and bioinformatics will have a dramatic impact on understanding reservoir host responses to hantaviruses by employing a systems biology approach to identify important pathways that mediate virus/reservoir relationships.

  13. Treatment of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Jonsson, Colleen B; Hooper, Jay; Mertz, Gregory

    2008-04-01

    Viruses in the genus Hantavirus can cause one of two serious illnesses when transmitted from rodents to humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Of the two diseases, HPS is more severe with an approximate 40% mortality across the Americas. The high rate of mortality could be reduced if effective therapeutics could be discovered for treatment of this illness. Herein we review approaches being explored for the discovery of therapeutics for HPS and how they could be employed in treatment and prevention of disease.

  14. Pathogenic Hantaviruses, Northeastern Argentina and Eastern Paraguay

    PubMed Central

    Martinez, Valeria P.; Bellomo, Carla; Maidana, Silvina; San Juan, Jorge; Tagliaferri, Paulina; Bargardi, Severino; Vazquez, Cynthia; Colucci, Norma; Estévez, Julio; Almiron, María

    2007-01-01

    We describe the first, to our knowledge, cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in northeastern Argentina and eastern Paraguay. Andes and Juquitiba (JUQ) viruses were characterized. JUQV was also confirmed in 5 Oligoryzomys nigripes reservoir species from Misiones. A novel Akodon-borne genetic hantavirus lineage was detected in 1 rodent from the Biologic Reserve of Limoy. PMID:17953094

  15. Genetic Diversity and Distribution of Peromyscus-Borne Hantaviruses in North America

    PubMed Central

    Monroe, Martha C.; Morzunov, Sergey P.; Johnson, Angela M.; Bowen, Michael D.; Artsob, Harvey; Yates, Terry; Peters, C.J.; Rollin, Pierre E.; Ksiazek, Thomas G.

    1999-01-01

    The 1993 outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the southwestern United States was associated with Sin Nombre virus, a rodent-borne hantavirus; The virus' primary reservoir is the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus). Hantavirus-infected rodents were identified in various regions of North America. An extensive nucleotide sequence database of an 139 bp fragment amplified from virus M genomic segments was generated. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that SNV-like hantaviruses are widely distributed in Peromyscus species rodents throughout North America. Classic SNV is the major cause of HPS in North America, but other Peromyscine-borne hantaviruses, e.g., New York and Monongahela viruses, are also associated with HPS cases. Although genetically diverse, SNV-like viruses have slowly coevolved with their rodent hosts. We show that the genetic relationships of hantaviruses in the Americas are complex, most likely as a result of the rapid radiation and speciation of New World sigmodontine rodents and occasional virus-host switching events. PMID:10081674

  16. Hantavirus Immunology of Rodent Reservoirs: Current Status and Future Directions

    PubMed Central

    Schountz, Tony; Prescott, Joseph

    2014-01-01

    Hantaviruses are hosted by rodents, insectivores and bats. Several rodent-borne hantaviruses cause two diseases that share many features in humans, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Eurasia or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in the Americas. It is thought that the immune response plays a significant contributory role in these diseases. However, in reservoir hosts that have been closely examined, little or no pathology occurs and infection is persistent despite evidence of adaptive immune responses. Because most hantavirus reservoirs are not model organisms, it is difficult to conduct meaningful experiments that might shed light on how the viruses evade sterilizing immune responses and why immunopathology does not occur. Despite these limitations, recent advances in instrumentation and bioinformatics will have a dramatic impact on understanding reservoir host responses to hantaviruses by employing a systems biology approach to identify important pathways that mediate virus/reservoir relationships. PMID:24638205

  17. [Morphological findings in fatal cases of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. Report of 7 autopsies].

    PubMed

    Guzmán G, Pablo; Tapia E, Oscar; Villaseca H, Miguel; Araya O, Juan; Antonio P, Lilia; Lee O, Bolívar; Roa S, Juan

    2010-10-01

    Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is an acute infectious disease characterized by sudden cardiorespiratory failure and high mortality, caused by a RNA virus of the genus Hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae, 15% of Chilean cases have been detected in the Araucania Region. To determine in fatal cases of HCPS, clinical and morphological characteristics. Descriptive-retrospective analysis of seven fatal cases with postmortem study of HCPS, attended between 1997 and 2009 at the Hospital of Temuco, Chile. Cases were young patients from rural areas, and presented as an illness of progressive respiratory failure, with leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia and bilateral interstitial pulmonary infiltrates. Main morphological findings were marked intersticial and intraalveolar pulmonary edema, with minimal epithelial injury and mononuclear cell intersticial infiltrate and mild edematous intersticial inflamatory process. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory background allow to suspect HCPS. In fatal cases, the autopsy makes possible to discard other similar pathologies and provide tissue for confirmation of the disease.

  18. β2 integrin mediates hantavirus-induced release of neutrophil extracellular traps

    PubMed Central

    Raftery, Martin J.; Lalwani, Pritesh; Krautkrӓmer, Ellen; Peters, Thorsten; Scharffetter-Kochanek, Karin; Krüger, Renate; Hofmann, Jörg; Seeger, Karl; Krüger, Detlev H.

    2014-01-01

    Rodent-borne hantaviruses are emerging human pathogens that cause severe human disease. The underlying mechanisms are not well understood, as hantaviruses replicate in endothelial and epithelial cells without causing any cytopathic effect. We demonstrate that hantaviruses strongly stimulated neutrophils to release neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Hantavirus infection induced high systemic levels of circulating NETs in patients and this systemic NET overflow was accompanied by production of autoantibodies to nuclear antigens. Analysis of the responsible mechanism using neutrophils from β2 null mice identified β2 integrin receptors as a master switch for NET induction. Further experiments suggested that β2 integrin receptors such as complement receptor 3 (CR3) and 4 (CR4) may act as novel hantavirus entry receptors. Using adenoviruses, we confirmed that viral interaction with β2 integrin induced strong NET formation. Collectively, β2 integrin–mediated systemic NET overflow is a novel viral mechanism of immunopathology that may be responsible for characteristic aspects of hantavirus-associated disease such as kidney and lung damage. PMID:24889201

  19. [Cardiopulmonary syndrome in hantavirus infection (an overview)].

    PubMed

    Mukhetdinova, G A; Fazlyeva, R M; Fazlyev, M M

    2012-06-01

    The article provides an overview of domestic and foreign literature on modern aspects of hantavirus infection. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome have a high epidemiological significance for Russia's Armed Forces and the armies of many foreign countries. Current knowledge of the various manifestations of the disease contribute to the improvement of diagnosis and timely delivery of medical and preventive measures.

  20. Novel Hantavirus in the Flat-Skulled Shrew (Sorex roboratus)

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Hae Ji; Arai, Satoru; Hope, Andrew G.; Cook, Joseph A.

    2010-01-01

    Abstract Genetically distinct hantaviruses have been identified recently in multiple species of shrews (Order Soricomorpha, Family Soricidae) in Eurasia and North America. To corroborate decades-old reports of hantaviral antigens in shrews from Russia, archival liver and lung tissues from 4 Siberian large-toothed shrews (Sorex daphaenodon), 5 Eurasian least shrews (Sorex minutissimus), 12 flat-skulled shrews (Sorex roboratus), and 18 tundra shrews (Sorex tundrensis), captured in the Sakha Republic in northeastern Siberia during July and August 2006, were analyzed for hantavirus RNA by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. A novel hantavirus, named Kenkeme virus, was detected in a flat-skulled shrew. Sequence analysis of the full-length S and partial M and L segments indicated that Kenkeme virus was genetically and phylogenetically distinct from Seewis virus harbored by the Eurasian common shrew (Sorex araneus), as well as all other rodent-, soricid-, and talpid-borne hantaviruses. PMID:20426682

  1. Estimation of main diversification time-points of hantaviruses using phylogenetic analyses of complete genomes.

    PubMed

    Castel, Guillaume; Tordo, Noël; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2017-04-02

    Because of the great variability of their reservoir hosts, hantaviruses are excellent models to evaluate the dynamics of virus-host co-evolution. Intriguing questions remain about the timescale of the diversification events that influenced this evolution. In this paper we attempted to estimate the first ever timing of hantavirus diversification based on thirty five available complete genomes representing five major groups of hantaviruses and the assumption of co-speciation of hantaviruses with their respective mammal hosts. Phylogenetic analyses were used to estimate the main diversification points during hantavirus evolution in mammals while host diversification was mostly estimated from independent calibrators taken from fossil records. Our results support an earlier developed hypothesis of co-speciation of known hantaviruses with their respective mammal hosts and hence a common ancestor for all hantaviruses carried by placental mammals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Molecular characterization of two hantavirus strains from different rattus species in Singapore

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Hantaviruses cause human disease in endemic regions around the world. Outbreaks of hantaviral diseases have been associated with changes in rodent population density and adaptation to human settlements leading to their proliferation in close proximity to human dwellings. In a parallel study initiated to determine the prevalence of pathogens in Singapore's wild rodent population, 1206 rodents were trapped and screened. The findings established a hantavirus seroprevalence of 34%. This paper describes the molecular characterization of hantaviruses from Rattus norvegicus and Rattus tanezumi, the predominant rodents caught in urban Singapore. Methodology Pan-hanta RT-PCR performed on samples of Rattus norvegicus and Rattus tanezumi indicated that 27 (2.24%) of the animals were positive. sequence analysis of the S and M segments established that two different hantavirus strains circulate in the rodent population of Singapore. Notably, the hantavirus strains found in Rattus norvegicus clusters with other Asian Seoul virus sequences, while the virus strains found in Rattus tanezumi had the highest sequence similarity to the Serang virus from Rattus tanezumi in Indonesia, followed by Cambodian hantavirus isolates and the Thailand virus isolated from Bandicota indica. Conclusions Sequence analysis of the S and M segments of hantavirus strains found in Rattus norvegicus (Seoul virus strain Singapore) and Rattus tanezumi (Serang virus strain Jurong TJK/06) revealed that two genetically different hantavirus strains were found in rodents of Singapore. Evidently, together with Serang, Cambodian and Thailand virus the Jurong virus forms a distinct phylogroup. Interestingly, these highly similar virus strains have been identified in different rodent hosts. Further studies are underway to analyze the public health significance of finding hantavirus strains in Singapore rodents. PMID:20096099

  3. Global Diversity and Distribution of Hantaviruses and Their Hosts.

    PubMed

    Milholland, Matthew T; Castro-Arellano, Iván; Suzán, Gerardo; Garcia-Peña, Gabriel E; Lee, Thomas E; Rohde, Rodney E; Alonso Aguirre, A; Mills, James N

    2018-04-30

    Rodents represent 42% of the world's mammalian biodiversity encompassing 2,277 species populating every continent (except Antarctica) and are reservoir hosts for a wide diversity of disease agents. Thus, knowing the identity, diversity, host-pathogen relationships, and geographic distribution of rodent-borne zoonotic pathogens, is essential for predicting and mitigating zoonotic disease outbreaks. Hantaviruses are hosted by numerous rodent reservoirs. However, the diversity of rodents harboring hantaviruses is likely unknown because research is biased toward specific reservoir hosts and viruses. An up-to-date, systematic review covering all known rodent hosts is lacking. Herein, we document gaps in our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of rodent species that host hantaviruses. Of the currently recognized 681 cricetid, 730 murid, 61 nesomyid, and 278 sciurid species, we determined that 11.3, 2.1, 1.6, and 1.1%, respectively, have known associations with hantaviruses. The diversity of hantaviruses hosted by rodents and their distribution among host species supports a reassessment of the paradigm that each virus is associated with a single-host species. We examine these host-virus associations on a global taxonomic and geographical scale with emphasis on the rodent host diversity and distribution. Previous reviews have been centered on the viruses and not the mammalian hosts. Thus, we provide a perspective not previously addressed.

  4. Population Ecology of Hantavirus Rodent Hosts in Southern Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Teixeira, Bernardo R.; Loureiro, Nathalie; Strecht, Liana; Gentile, Rosana; Oliveira, Renata C.; Guterres, Alexandro; Fernandes, Jorlan; Mattos, Luciana H. B. V.; Raboni, Sonia M.; Rubio, Giselia; Bonvicino, Cibele R.; Duarte dos Santos, Claudia N.; Lemos, Elba R. S.; D'Andrea, Paulo S.

    2014-01-01

    In this study we analyze population dynamics of hantavirus rodent hosts and prevalence of infection over a 2-year period in Southern Brazil, a region with a high incidence of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The 14 small mammal species captured were composed of 10 rodents and four marsupials, the six most abundant species being Akodon serrensis, Oxymycterus judex, Akodon montensis, Akodon paranaensis, Oligoryzomys nigripes, and Thaptomys nigrita. These species displayed a similar pattern with increasing population sizes in fall/winter caused by recruitment and both, increase in reproductive activity and higher hantavirus prevalence in spring/summer. Specific associations between A. montensis/Jaborá Virus (JABV) and O. nigripes/Juquitiba-like Virus (JUQV-like) and spillover infections between A. paranaensis/JABV, A. serrensis/JABV, and A. paranaensis/JUQV-like were observed. Spillover infection in secondary hosts seems to play an important role in maintaining JABV and JUQV-like in the hantavirus sylvatic cycle mainly during periods of low prevalence in primary hosts. PMID:24935954

  5. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, central plateau, southeastern, and southern Brazil.

    PubMed

    Figueiredo, Luiz T M; Moreli, Marcos L; de-Sousa, Ricardo L M; Borges, Alessandra A; de-Figueiredo, Glauciane G; Machado, Alex M; Bisordi, Ivani; Nagasse-Sugahara, Teresa K; Suzuki, Akemi; Pereira, Luiz E; de-Souza, Renato P; de-Souza, Luiza T M; Braconi, Carla T; Harsi, Charlotte M; de-Andrade-Zanotto, Paolo M

    2009-04-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an increasing health problem in Brazil because of encroachment of sprawling urban, agricultural, and cattle-raising areas into habitats of subfamily Sigmodontinae rodents, which serve as hantavirus reservoirs. From 1993 through June 2007, a total of 884 cases of HPS were reported in Brazil (case-fatality rate 39%). To better understand this emerging disease, we collected 89 human serum samples and 68 rodent lung samples containing antibodies to hantavirus from a 2,500-km-wide area in Brazil. RNA was isolated from human samples and rodent tissues and subjected to reverse transcription-PCR. Partial sequences of nucleocapsid protein and glycoprotein genes from 22 human and 16 rodent sources indicated only Araraquara virus and Juquitiba virus lineages. The case-fatality rate of HPS was higher in the area with Araraquara virus. This virus, which may be the most virulent hantavirus in Brazil, was associated with areas that have had greater anthropogenic changes.

  6. Fugong virus, a novel hantavirus harbored by the small oriental vole (Eothenomys eleusis) in China.

    PubMed

    Ge, Xing-Yi; Yang, Wei-Hong; Pan, Hong; Zhou, Ji-Hua; Han, Xi; Zhu, Guang-Jian; Desmond, James S; Daszak, Peter; Shi, Zheng-Li; Zhang, Yun-Zhi

    2016-02-16

    Rodents are natural reservoirs of hantaviruses, which cause two disease types: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Eurasia and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in North America. Hantaviruses related human cases have been observed throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. To date, 23 distinct species of hantaviruses, hosted by reservoir, have been identified. However, the diversity and number of hantaviruses are likely underestimated in China, and hantavirus species that cause disease in many regions, including Yunnan province, are unknown. In August 2012, we collected tissue samples from 189 captured animals, including 15 species belonging to 10 genera, 5 families, and 4 orders in Fugong county, Yunnan province, China. Seven species were positive for hantavirus: Eothenomys eleusis (42/94), Apodemus peninsulae (3/25), Niviventer eha (3/27), Cryptotis montivaga (2/8), Anourosorex squamipes (1/1), Sorex araneus (1/1), and Mustela sibirica (1/2). We characterized one full-length genomic sequence of the virus (named fugong virus, FUGV) from a small oriental vole (Eothenomys eleusis). The full-length sequences of the small, medium, and large segments of FUGV were 1813, 3630, and 6531 nt, respectively. FUGV was most closely related to hantavirus LX309, a previously reported species detected in the red-backed vole in Luxi county, Yunnan province, China. However, the amino acid sequences of nucleocapsid (N), glycoprotein (G), and large protein (L) were highly divergent from those of Hantavirus LX309, with amino acid differences of 11.2, 15.3, and 12.7 %, respectively. In phylogenetic trees, FUGV clustered in the lineage corresponding to hantaviruses carried by rodents in the subfamily Arvicolinae. High prevalence of hantavirus infection in small mammals was found in Fugong county, Yunnan province, China. A novel hantavirus species FUGV was identified from the small oriental vole. This virus is phylogenetic clustering with another hantavirus LX309, but shows

  7. Twenty-year summary of surveillance for human hantavirus infections, United States.

    PubMed

    Knust, Barbara; Rollin, Pierre E

    2013-12-01

    In the past 20 years of surveillance for hantavirus in humans in the United States, 624 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) have been reported, 96% of which occurred in states west of the Mississippi River. Most hantavirus infections are caused by Sin Nombre virus, but cases of HPS caused by Bayou, Black Creek Canal, Monongahela, and New York viruses have been reported, and cases of domestically acquired hemorrhagic fever and renal syndrome caused by Seoul virus have also occurred. Rarely, hantavirus infections result in mild illness that does not progress to HPS. Continued testing and surveillance of clinical cases in humans will improve our understanding of the etiologic agents involved and the spectrum of diseases.

  8. Alimentary Tract as Entry Route for Hantavirus Infection

    DTIC Science & Technology

    Hantaviruses are zoonotic agents that cause hemorrhagic fever with renal and/or cardiopulmonary manifestations, reaching fatality rates of up to 50...predominant endemic hantavirus in Europe, is associated with mild forms of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. PUUV is transmitted to humans by exposure to...viral association with endosomal antigen EEA-1, followed by virus replication and loss of epithelial barrier function with concomitant basolateral

  9. Incidence rate for hantavirus infections without pulmonary syndrome, Panama.

    PubMed

    Armien, Blas; Pascale, Juan M; Munoz, Carlos; Lee, Sang-Joon; Choi, Kook L; Avila, Mario; Broce, Candida; Armien, Anibal G; Gracia, Fernando; Hjelle, Brian; Koster, Frederick

    2011-10-01

    During 2001-2007, to determine incidence of all hantavirus infections, including those without pulmonary syndrome, in western Panama, we conducted 11 communitywide surveys. Among 1,129 persons, antibody prevalence was 16.5%-60.4%. Repeat surveys of 476 found that patients who seroconverted outnumbered patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome by 14 to 1.

  10. Preferential host switching and its relation with Hantavirus diversification in South America.

    PubMed

    Rivera, Paula C; González-Ittig, Raul E; Gardenal, Cristina N

    2015-09-01

    In recent years, the notion of co-speciation between Hantavirus species and their hosts was discarded in favour of a more likely explanation: preferential host switching. However, the relative importance of this last process in shaping the evolutionary history of hantaviruses remains uncertain, given the present limited knowledge not only of virus-host relationships but also of the pathogen and reservoir phylogenies. In South America, more than 25 hantavirus genotypes were detected; several of them act as aetiological agents of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). An understanding of the diversity of hantaviruses and of the processes underlying host switching is critical since human cases of HPS are almost exclusively the result of human-host interactions. In this study, we tested if preferential host switching is the main process driving hantavirus diversification in South America, by performing a co-phylogenetic analysis of the viruses and their primary hosts. We also suggest a new level of amino acid divergence to define virus species in the group. Our results indicate that preferential host switching would not be the main process driving virus diversification. The historical geographical proximity among rodent hosts emerges as an alternative hypothesis to be tested.

  11. Evolutionary Insights from a Genetically Divergent Hantavirus Harbored by the European Common Mole (Talpa europaea)

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Hae Ji; Bennett, Shannon N.; Sumibcay, Laarni; Arai, Satoru; Hope, Andrew G.; Mocz, Gabor; Song, Jin-Won; Cook, Joseph A.; Yanagihara, Richard

    2009-01-01

    Background The discovery of genetically distinct hantaviruses in shrews (Order Soricomorpha, Family Soricidae) from widely separated geographic regions challenges the hypothesis that rodents (Order Rodentia, Family Muridae and Cricetidae) are the primordial reservoir hosts of hantaviruses and also predicts that other soricomorphs harbor hantaviruses. Recently, novel hantavirus genomes have been detected in moles of the Family Talpidae, including the Japanese shrew mole (Urotrichus talpoides) and American shrew mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii). We present new insights into the evolutionary history of hantaviruses gained from a highly divergent hantavirus, designated Nova virus (NVAV), identified in the European common mole (Talpa europaea) captured in Hungary. Methodology/Principal Findings Pair-wise alignment and comparison of the full-length S- and L-genomic segments indicated moderately low sequence similarity of 54–65% and 46–63% at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, respectively, between NVAV and representative rodent- and soricid-borne hantaviruses. Despite the high degree of sequence divergence, the predicted secondary structure of the NVAV nucleocapsid protein exhibited the characteristic coiled-coil domains at the amino-terminal end, and the L-segment motifs, typically found in hantaviruses, were well conserved. Phylogenetic analyses, using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods, showed that NVAV formed a distinct clade that was evolutionarily distant from all other hantaviruses. Conclusions Newly identified hantaviruses harbored by shrews and moles support long-standing virus-host relationships and suggest that ancestral soricomorphs, rather than rodents, may have been the early or original mammalian hosts. PMID:19582155

  12. Hantavirus in Indian Country: The First Decade in Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pottinger, Richard

    2005-01-01

    Hantavirus, caused due to close contact with mice in a dwelling, first emerged in the spring of 1993 on the Navajo Reservation and although it is by no means an Indian disease, there are four times as many cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) among non-Indians. Inadequate rural housing, especially common in western Indian Country,…

  13. Biological control agents elevate hantavirus by subsidizing deer mouse populations.

    PubMed

    Pearson, Dean E; Callaway, Ragan M

    2006-04-01

    Biological control of exotic invasive plants using exotic insects is practiced under the assumption that biological control agents are safe if they do not directly attack non-target species. We tested this assumption by evaluating the potential for two host-specific biological control agents (Urophora spp.), widely established in North America for spotted knapweed (Centaurea maculosa) control, to indirectly elevate Sin Nombre hantavirus by providing food subsidies to populations of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), the primary reservoir for the virus. We show that seropositive deer mice (mice testing positive for hantavirus) were over three times more abundant in the presence of the biocontrol food subsidy. Elevating densities of seropositive mice may increase risk of hantavirus infection in humans and significantly alter hantavirus ecology. Host specificity alone does not ensure safe biological control. To minimize indirect risks to non-target species, biological control agents must suppress pest populations enough to reduce their own numbers.

  14. Hantavirus-induced disruption of the endothelial barrier: neutrophils are on the payroll.

    PubMed

    Schönrich, Günther; Krüger, Detlev H; Raftery, Martin J

    2015-01-01

    Viral hemorrhagic fever caused by hantaviruses is an emerging infectious disease for which suitable treatments are not available. In order to improve this situation a better understanding of hantaviral pathogenesis is urgently required. Hantaviruses infect endothelial cell layers in vitro without causing any cytopathogenic effect and without increasing permeability. This implies that the mechanisms underlying vascular hyperpermeability in hantavirus-associated disease are more complex and that immune mechanisms play an important role. In this review we highlight the latest developments in hantavirus-induced immunopathogenesis. A possible contribution of neutrophils has been neglected so far. For this reason, we place special emphasis on the pathogenic role of neutrophils in disrupting the endothelial barrier.

  15. Maporal Hantavirus Causes Mild Pathology in Deer Mice (Peromyscus maniculatus).

    PubMed

    McGuire, Amanda; Miedema, Kaitlyn; Fauver, Joseph R; Rico, Amber; Aboellail, Tawfik; Quackenbush, Sandra L; Hawkinson, Ann; Schountz, Tony

    2016-10-18

    Rodent-borne hantaviruses can cause two human diseases with many pathological similarities: hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the western hemisphere and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the eastern hemisphere. Each virus is hosted by specific reservoir species without conspicuous disease. HCPS-causing hantaviruses require animal biosafety level-4 (ABSL-4) containment, which substantially limits experimental research of interactions between the viruses and their reservoir hosts. Maporal virus (MAPV) is a South American hantavirus not known to cause disease in humans, thus it can be manipulated under ABSL-3 conditions. The aim of this study was to develop an ABSL-3 hantavirus infection model using the deer mouse ( Peromyscus maniculatus ), the natural reservoir host of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), and a virus that is pathogenic in another animal model to examine immune response of a reservoir host species. Deer mice were inoculated with MAPV, and viral RNA was detected in several organs of all deer mice during the 56 day experiment. Infected animals generated both nucleocapsid-specific and neutralizing antibodies. Histopathological lesions were minimal to mild with the peak of the lesions detected at 7-14 days postinfection, mainly in the lungs, heart, and liver. Low to modest levels of cytokine gene expression were detected in spleens and lungs of infected deer mice, and deer mouse primary pulmonary cells generated with endothelial cell growth factors were susceptible to MAPV with viral RNA accumulating in the cellular fraction compared to infected Vero cells. Most features resembled that of SNV infection of deer mice, suggesting this model may be an ABSL-3 surrogate for studying the host response of a New World hantavirus reservoir.

  16. Haploid Genetic Screen Reveals a Profound and Direct Dependence on Cholesterol for Hantavirus Membrane Fusion

    PubMed Central

    Kleinfelter, Lara M.; Jangra, Rohit K.; Jae, Lucas T.; Herbert, Andrew S.; Mittler, Eva; Stiles, Katie M.; Wirchnianski, Ariel S.; Kielian, Margaret; Brummelkamp, Thijn R.

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Hantaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in the Old World and a highly fatal hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in the New World. No vaccines or antiviral therapies are currently available to prevent or treat hantavirus disease, and gaps in our understanding of how hantaviruses enter cells challenge the search for therapeutics. We performed a haploid genetic screen in human cells to identify host factors required for entry by Andes virus, a highly virulent New World hantavirus. We found that multiple genes involved in cholesterol sensing, regulation, and biosynthesis, including key components of the sterol response element-binding protein (SREBP) pathway, are critical for Andes virus entry. Genetic or pharmacological disruption of the membrane-bound transcription factor peptidase/site-1 protease (MBTPS1/S1P), an SREBP control element, dramatically reduced infection by virulent hantaviruses of both the Old World and New World clades but not by rhabdoviruses or alphaviruses, indicating that this pathway is broadly, but selectively, required by hantaviruses. These results could be fully explained as arising from the modest depletion of cellular membrane cholesterol that accompanied S1P disruption. Mechanistic studies of cells and with protein-free liposomes suggested that high levels of cholesterol are specifically needed for hantavirus membrane fusion. Taken together, our results indicate that the profound dependence on target membrane cholesterol is a fundamental, and unusual, biophysical property of hantavirus glycoprotein-membrane interactions during entry. PMID:26126854

  17. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and rodent reservoirs in the savanna-like biome of Brazil's southeastern region.

    PubMed

    Limongi, J E; Oliveira, R C; Guterres, A; Costa Neto, S F; Fernandes, J; Vicente, L H B; Coelho, M G; Ramos, V N; Ferreira, M S; Bonvicino, C R; D'Andrea, P S; Lemos, E R S

    2016-04-01

    This paper describes the diversity of rodent fauna in an area endemic for hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in Brazil, the population dynamics and the relationship of rodents with hantavirus in the Cerrado (savanna-like) biome. Additionally, an analysis is made of the partial S segment sequences of the hantaviruses obtained from serologically confirmed human HCPS cases and from rodent specimens. Rodents were collected during four campaigns. Human serum samples were collected from suspected cases of HCPS at hospitals in the state of Minas Gerais. The samples antibody-reactive by ELISA were processed by RT-PCR. The PCR product was amplified and sequenced. Hantavirus was detected only in Necromys lasiurus, the wild rodent species most prevalent in the Cerrado biome (min-max: 50-83·7%). All the six human serum samples were hantavirus seropositive and five showed amplified PCR products. The analysis of the nucleotide sequences showed the circulation of a single genotype, the Araraquara hantavirus. The environmental changes that have occurred in the Cerrado biome in recent decades have favoured N. lasiurus in interspecific competition of habitats, thus increasing the risk of contact between humans and rodent species infected with hantavirus. Our data corroborate the definition of N. lasiurus as the main hantavirus reservoir in the Cerrado biome.

  18. Imported hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in an Italian traveller returning from Cuba.

    PubMed

    Rovida, Francesca; Percivalle, Elena; Sarasini, Antonella; Chichino, Guido; Baldanti, Fausto

    2013-01-01

    Hantavirus hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is endemic in Europe and Asia, while hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is endemic in Northern, Central and Southern America. The first case of imported HCPS involving an Italian traveller returning from Cuba is reported.

  19. Viral hemorrhagic fever cases in the country of Georgia: Acute Febrile Illness Surveillance Study results.

    PubMed

    Kuchuloria, Tinatin; Imnadze, Paata; Chokheli, Maiko; Tsertsvadze, Tengiz; Endeladze, Marina; Mshvidobadze, Ketevan; Clark, Danielle V; Bautista, Christian T; Abdel Fadeel, Moustafa; Pimentel, Guillermo; House, Brent; Hepburn, Matthew J; Wölfel, Silke; Wölfel, Roman; Rivard, Robert G

    2014-08-01

    Minimal information is available on the incidence of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus and hantavirus infections in Georgia. From 2008 to 2011, 537 patients with fever ≥ 38°C for ≥ 48 hours without a diagnosis were enrolled into a sentinel surveillance study to investigate the incidence of nine pathogens, including CCHF virus and hantavirus. Of 14 patients with a hemorrhagic fever syndrome, 3 patients tested positive for CCHF virus immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies. Two of the patients enrolled in the study had acute renal failure. These 2 of 537 enrolled patients were the only patients in the study positive for hantavirus IgM antibodies. These results suggest that CCHF virus and hantavirus are contributing causes of acute febrile syndromes of infectious origin in Georgia. These findings support introduction of critical diagnostic approaches and confirm the need for additional surveillance in Georgia. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  20. Spatial spread of the Hantavirus infection

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reinoso, José A.; de la Rubia, F. Javier

    2015-03-01

    The spatial propagation of Hantavirus-infected mice is considered a serious threat for public health. We analyze the spatial spread of the infected mice by including diffusion in the stage-dependent model for Hantavirus infection recently proposed by Reinoso and de la Rubia [Phys. Rev. E 87, 042706 (2013), 10.1103/PhysRevE.87.042706]. We consider a general scenario in which mice propagate in fronts from their refugia to the surroundings and find an expression for the speed of the front of infected mice. We also introduce a depletion time that measures the time scale for an appreciable impoverishment of the environment conditions and show how this new situation may change the spreading of the infection significantly.

  1. Molecular method for the detection of Andes hantavirus infection: validation for clinical diagnostics

    PubMed Central

    Vial, Cecilia; Martinez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Rios, Susana; Martinez, Jessica; Vial, Pablo; Ferres, Marcela; Rivera, Juan Carlos; Perez, Ruth; Valdivieso, Francisca

    2016-01-01

    Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome is a severe disease caused by exposure to New World hantaviruses. Early diagnosis is difficult due to the lack of specific initial symptoms. Anti-hantavirus antibodies are usually negative until late in the febrile prodrome or the beginning of cardiopulmonary phase while Andes hantavirus (ANDV) RNA genome can be detected before symptoms onset. We analyzed the effectiveness of RTqPCR as a diagnostic tool detecting ANDV-Sout genome in peripheral blood cells from 78 confirmed hantavirus patients and 166 negative controls. Our results indicate that RTqPCR had a low detection limit (~10 copies), with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 94.9%. This suggests the potential for establishing RT-qPCR as the assay of choice for early diagnosis, promoting early effective care of patients and improve other important aspects of ANDV infection management, such as compliance of biosafety recommendations for health personnel in order to avoid nosocomial transmission. PMID:26508102

  2. Changes in Diversification Patterns and Signatures of Selection during the Evolution of Murinae-Associated Hantaviruses

    PubMed Central

    Castel, Guillaume; Razzauti, Maria; Jousselin, Emmanuelle; Kergoat, Gael J.; Cosson, Jean-François

    2014-01-01

    In the last 50 years, hantaviruses have significantly affected public health worldwide, but the exact extent of the distribution of hantavirus diseases, species and lineages and the risk of their emergence into new geographic areas are still poorly known. In particular, the determinants of molecular evolution of hantaviruses circulating in different geographical areas or different host species are poorly documented. Yet, this understanding is essential for the establishment of more accurate scenarios of hantavirus emergence under different climatic and environmental constraints. In this study, we focused on Murinae-associated hantaviruses (mainly Seoul Dobrava and Hantaan virus) using sequences available in GenBank and conducted several complementary phylogenetic inferences. We sought for signatures of selection and changes in patterns and rates of diversification in order to characterize hantaviruses’ molecular evolution at different geographical scales (global and local). We then investigated whether these events were localized in particular geographic areas. Our phylogenetic analyses supported the assumption that RNA virus molecular variations were under strong evolutionary constraints and revealed changes in patterns of diversification during the evolutionary history of hantaviruses. These analyses provide new knowledge on the molecular evolution of hantaviruses at different scales of time and space. PMID:24618811

  3. Novel camelid antibody fragments targeting recombinant nucleoprotein of Araucaria hantavirus: a prototype for an early diagnosis of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Soraya S; Moreira-Dill, Leandro S; Morais, Michelle S S; Prado, Nidiane D R; Barros, Marcos L; Koishi, Andrea C; Mazarrotto, Giovanny A C A; Gonçalves, Giselle M; Zuliani, Juliana P; Calderon, Leonardo A; Soares, Andreimar M; Pereira da Silva, Luiz H; Duarte dos Santos, Claudia N; Fernandes, Carla F C; Stabeli, Rodrigo G

    2014-01-01

    In addition to conventional antibodies, camelids produce immunoglobulins G composed exclusively of heavy chains in which the antigen binding site is formed only by single domains called VHH. Their particular characteristics make VHHs interesting tools for drug-delivery, passive immunotherapy and high-throughput diagnosis. Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses of the Bunyaviridae family. Two clinical forms of the infection are known. Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) is present in the Old World, while Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is found on the American continent. There is no specific treatment for HPS and its diagnosis is carried out by molecular or serological techniques, using mainly monoclonal antibodies or hantavirus nucleoprotein (N) to detect IgM and IgG in patient serum. This study proposes the use of camelid VHHs to develop alternative methods for diagnosing and confirming HPS. Phage display technology was employed to obtain VHHs. After immunizing one Lama glama against the recombinant N protein (prNΔ₈₅) of a Brazilian hantavirus strain, VHH regions were isolated to construct an immune library. VHHs were displayed fused to the M13KO7 phage coat protein III and the selection steps were performed on immobilized prNΔ₈₅. After selection, eighty clones recognized specifically the N protein. These were sequenced, grouped based mainly on the CDRs, and five clones were analyzed by western blot (WB), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) device, and ELISA. Besides the ability to recognize prNΔ85 by WB, all selected clones showed affinity constants in the nanomolar range. Additionaly, the clone KC329705 is able to detect prNΔ₈₅ in solution, as well as the native viral antigen. Findings support the hypothesis that selected VHHs could be a powerful tool in the development of rapid and accurate HPS diagnostic assays, which are essential to provide supportive care to patients and reduce the high mortality rate associated with hantavirus

  4. Novel Camelid Antibody Fragments Targeting Recombinant Nucleoprotein of Araucaria hantavirus: A Prototype for an Early Diagnosis of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Pereira, Soraya S.; Moreira-Dill, Leandro S.; Morais, Michelle S. S.; Prado, Nidiane D. R.; Barros, Marcos L.; Koishi, Andrea C.; Mazarrotto, Giovanny A. C. A.; Gonçalves, Giselle M.; Zuliani, Juliana P.; Calderon, Leonardo A.; Soares, Andreimar M.; Pereira da Silva, Luiz H.; Duarte dos Santos, Claudia N.; Fernandes, Carla F. C.; Stabeli, Rodrigo G.

    2014-01-01

    In addition to conventional antibodies, camelids produce immunoglobulins G composed exclusively of heavy chains in which the antigen binding site is formed only by single domains called VHH. Their particular characteristics make VHHs interesting tools for drug-delivery, passive immunotherapy and high-throughput diagnosis. Hantaviruses are rodent-borne viruses of the Bunyaviridae family. Two clinical forms of the infection are known. Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) is present in the Old World, while Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is found on the American continent. There is no specific treatment for HPS and its diagnosis is carried out by molecular or serological techniques, using mainly monoclonal antibodies or hantavirus nucleoprotein (N) to detect IgM and IgG in patient serum. This study proposes the use of camelid VHHs to develop alternative methods for diagnosing and confirming HPS. Phage display technology was employed to obtain VHHs. After immunizing one Lama glama against the recombinant N protein (prNΔ85) of a Brazilian hantavirus strain, VHH regions were isolated to construct an immune library. VHHs were displayed fused to the M13KO7 phage coat protein III and the selection steps were performed on immobilized prNΔ85. After selection, eighty clones recognized specifically the N protein. These were sequenced, grouped based mainly on the CDRs, and five clones were analyzed by western blot (WB), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) device, and ELISA. Besides the ability to recognize prNΔ85 by WB, all selected clones showed affinity constants in the nanomolar range. Additionaly, the clone KC329705 is able to detect prNΔ85 in solution, as well as the native viral antigen. Findings support the hypothesis that selected VHHs could be a powerful tool in the development of rapid and accurate HPS diagnostic assays, which are essential to provide supportive care to patients and reduce the high mortality rate associated with hantavirus infections. PMID

  5. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in a highly endemic area of Brazil.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, R C; Sant'ana, M M; Guterres, A; Fernandes, J; Hillesheim, N L F K; Lucini, C; Gomes, R; Lamas, C; Bochner, R; Zeccer, S; DE Lemos, E R S

    2016-04-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is the most frequently reported fatal rodent-borne disease in Brazil, with the majority of cases occurring in Santa Catarina. We analysed the clinical, laboratory and epidemiological data of the 251 confirmed cases of HPS in Santa Catarina in 1999-2011. The number of cases ranged from 10 to 47 per year, with the highest incidences in 2004-2006. Gastrointestinal tract manifestations were found in >60% of the cases, potentially confounding diagnosis and leading to inappropriate therapy. Dyspnoea, acute respiratory failure, renal failure, increased serum creatinine and urea levels, increased haematocrits and the presence of pulmonary interstitial infiltrate were significantly more common in HPS patients who died. In addition, we demonstrated that the six cases from the midwest region of the state were associated with Juquitiba virus genotype. The case-fatality rate in this region, 19·2%, was lower than that recorded for other mesoregions. In the multivariate analysis increase of serum creatinine and urea was associated with death by HPS. Our findings help elucidate the epidemiology of HPS in Brazil, where mast seeding of bamboo can trigger rodent population eruptions and subsequent human HPS outbreaks. We also emphasize the need for molecular confirmation of the hantavirus genotype of human cases for a better understanding of the mortality-related factors associated with HPS cases in Brazil.

  6. First evidence of asymptomatic infection related to the Araucaria (Juquitiba-like) hantavirus.

    PubMed

    de Borba, Luana; Delfraro, Adriana; Raboni, Sonia M; dos Santos, Claudia Nunes Duarte

    2013-08-05

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe disease, transmitted to humans by inhalation of virus-contaminated aerosols from rodent excreta. Epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data confirmed a fatal HPS case and an asymptomatic infection in a household contact, both caused by Araucaria hantavirus, which has previously been found only in patients with HPS. This is the first report of asymptomatic infection related to a pathogenic hantavirus genotype, highlighting the need for additional studies on characterisation of viral and genetic mechanisms associated with this disease.

  7. Geographic Distribution of Hantaviruses Associated with Neotomine and Sigmodontine Rodents, Mexico

    PubMed Central

    Milazzo, Mary L.; Cajimat, Maria N.B.; Romo, Hannah E.; Estrada-Franco, Jose G.; Iñiguez-Dávalos, L. Ignacio; Bradley, Robert D.

    2012-01-01

    To increase our knowledge of the geographic distribution of hantaviruses associated with neotomine or sigmodontine rodents in Mexico, we tested 876 cricetid rodents captured in 18 Mexican states (representing at least 44 species in the subfamily Neotominae and 10 species in the subfamily Sigmodontinae) for anti-hantavirus IgG. We found antibodies against hantavirus in 35 (4.0%) rodents. Nucleotide sequence data from 5 antibody-positive rodents indicated that Sin Nombre virus (the major cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome [HPS] in the United States) is enzootic in the Mexican states of Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Tamaulipas, and Veracruz. However, HPS has not been reported from these states, which suggests that in northeastern Mexico, HPS has been confused with other rapidly progressive, life-threatening respiratory diseases. Analyses of nucleotide sequence data from 19 other antibody-positive rodents indicated that El Moro Canyon virus and Limestone Canyon virus are geographically widely distributed in Mexico. PMID:22469569

  8. Crystal Structure of the Core Region of Hantavirus Nucleocapsid Protein Reveals the Mechanism for Ribonucleoprotein Complex Formation

    PubMed Central

    Guo, Yu; Wang, Wenming; Sun, Yuna; Ma, Chao; Wang, Xu; Wang, Xin; Liu, Pi; Shen, Shu; Li, Baobin; Lin, Jianping; Deng, Fei

    2015-01-01

    ABSTRACT Hantaviruses, which belong to the genus Hantavirus in the family Bunyaviridae, infect mammals, including humans, causing either hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in humans with high mortality. Hantavirus encodes a nucleocapsid protein (NP) to encapsidate the genome and form a ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) together with viral polymerase. Here, we report the crystal structure of the core domains of NP (NPcore) encoded by Sin Nombre virus (SNV) and Andes virus (ANDV), which are two representative members that cause HCPS in the New World. The constructs of SNV and ANDV NPcore exclude the N- and C-terminal portions of full polypeptide to obtain stable proteins for crystallographic study. The structure features an N lobe and a C lobe to clamp RNA-binding crevice and exhibits two protruding extensions in both lobes. The positively charged residues located in the RNA-binding crevice play a key role in RNA binding and virus replication. We further demonstrated that the C-terminal helix and the linker region connecting the N-terminal coiled-coil domain and NPcore are essential for hantavirus NP oligomerization through contacts made with two adjacent protomers. Moreover, electron microscopy (EM) visualization of native RNPs extracted from the virions revealed that a monomer-sized NP-RNA complex is the building block of viral RNP. This work provides insight into the formation of hantavirus RNP and provides an understanding of the evolutionary connections that exist among bunyaviruses. IMPORTANCE Hantaviruses are distributed across a wide and increasing range of host reservoirs throughout the world. In particular, hantaviruses can be transmitted via aerosols of rodent excreta to humans or from human to human and cause HFRS and HCPS, with mortalities of 15% and 50%, respectively. Hantavirus is therefore listed as a category C pathogen. Hantavirus encodes an NP that plays essential roles both in RNP formation and

  9. Crystal Structure of the Core Region of Hantavirus Nucleocapsid Protein Reveals the Mechanism for Ribonucleoprotein Complex Formation.

    PubMed

    Guo, Yu; Wang, Wenming; Sun, Yuna; Ma, Chao; Wang, Xu; Wang, Xin; Liu, Pi; Shen, Shu; Li, Baobin; Lin, Jianping; Deng, Fei; Wang, Hualin; Lou, Zhiyong

    2016-01-15

    Hantaviruses, which belong to the genus Hantavirus in the family Bunyaviridae, infect mammals, including humans, causing either hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) in humans with high mortality. Hantavirus encodes a nucleocapsid protein (NP) to encapsidate the genome and form a ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) together with viral polymerase. Here, we report the crystal structure of the core domains of NP (NPcore) encoded by Sin Nombre virus (SNV) and Andes virus (ANDV), which are two representative members that cause HCPS in the New World. The constructs of SNV and ANDV NPcore exclude the N- and C-terminal portions of full polypeptide to obtain stable proteins for crystallographic study. The structure features an N lobe and a C lobe to clamp RNA-binding crevice and exhibits two protruding extensions in both lobes. The positively charged residues located in the RNA-binding crevice play a key role in RNA binding and virus replication. We further demonstrated that the C-terminal helix and the linker region connecting the N-terminal coiled-coil domain and NPcore are essential for hantavirus NP oligomerization through contacts made with two adjacent protomers. Moreover, electron microscopy (EM) visualization of native RNPs extracted from the virions revealed that a monomer-sized NP-RNA complex is the building block of viral RNP. This work provides insight into the formation of hantavirus RNP and provides an understanding of the evolutionary connections that exist among bunyaviruses. Hantaviruses are distributed across a wide and increasing range of host reservoirs throughout the world. In particular, hantaviruses can be transmitted via aerosols of rodent excreta to humans or from human to human and cause HFRS and HCPS, with mortalities of 15% and 50%, respectively. Hantavirus is therefore listed as a category C pathogen. Hantavirus encodes an NP that plays essential roles both in RNP formation and in multiple

  10. Serologic survey on hantavirus in blood donors from the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Cordova, Caio Maurício Mendes de; Figueiredo, Luiz Tadeu Moraes

    2014-01-01

    Emergent diseases such as Hantavirus Cardio-pulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) are able to create a significant impact on human populations due to their seriousness and high fatality rate. Santa Catarina, located in the South of Brazil, is the leading state for HCPS with 267 reported cases from 1999 to 2011. We present here a serological survey on hantavirus in blood donors from different cities of the state of Santa Catarina, with an IgG-ELISA using a recombinant nucleocapsid protein from Araraquara hantavirus as an antigen. In total, 314 donors from blood banks participated in the study, geographically covering the whole state. Among these, 14 individuals (4.4%) had antibodies to hantavirus: four of 50 (8% positivity) from Blumenau, four of 52 (7.6%) from Joinville, three of 50 (6%) from Florianópolis, two of 50 (4%) from Chapecó and one of 35 (2.8%) from Joaçaba. It is possible that hantaviruses are circulating across almost the whole state, with important epidemiological implications. Considering that the seropositive blood donors are healthy individuals, it is possible that hantaviruses may be causing unrecognized infections, which are either asymptomatic or clinically nonspecific, in addition to HCPS. It is also possible that more than one hantavirus type could be circulating in this region, causing mostly benign infections.

  11. Serological diagnosis of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in a febrile patient in Colombia.

    PubMed

    Mattar, Salim; Garzon, Denisse; Tadeu, Luis; Faccini-Martínez, Alvaro A; Mills, James N

    2014-08-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an often fatal rodent-borne zoonosis caused by any of at least 20 hantavirus genotypes distributed throughout the Americas. Although HPS has been documented in several bordering countries, it has not been reported in Colombia. Here we report seroconversion to a hantavirus in paired samples from a hospitalized patient with symptoms compatible with HPS from Montería, Córdoba Department, north-western Colombia. Tests for regionally endemic agents including Plasmodium, Leptospira, Salmonella, dengue virus, Brucella, Rickettsia, human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis viruses were negative. Because the patient was enrolled in a clinical trial for hemorrhagic fevers conducted by the University of Córdoba, serum samples were collected on admission and at discharge. Testing using Sin Nombre virus ELISA showed IgG and IgM seroconversion between samples. The eventual finding of this first clinical case of hantavirus infection in Colombia is consistent with the high prevalence of hantavirus antibodies in humans in the region and the likely exposure of the patient to rodents. The clinical presentation was similar to that found in neighbouring Panama. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Santa Cruz, Bolivia: Outbreak Investigation and Antibody Prevalence Study

    PubMed Central

    Montgomery, Joel M.; Blair, Patrick J.; Carroll, Darin S.; Mills, James N.; Gianella, Alberto; Iihoshi, Naomi; Briggiler, Ana M.; Felices, Vidal; Salazar, Milagros; Olson, James G.; Glabman, Raisa A.; Bausch, Daniel G.

    2012-01-01

    We report the results of an investigation of a small outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in 2002 in the Department of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where the disease had not previously been reported. Two cases were initially reported. The first case was a physician infected with Laguna Negra virus during a weekend visit to his ranch. Four other persons living on the ranch were IgM antibody-positive, two of whom were symptomatic for mild hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The second case was a migrant sugarcane worker. Although no sample remained to determine the specific infecting hantavirus, a virus 90% homologous with Río Mamoré virus was previously found in small-eared pygmy rice rats (Oligoryzomys microtis) trapped in the area. An antibody prevalence study conducted in the region as part of the outbreak investigation showed 45 (9.1%) of 494 persons to be IgG positive, illustrating that hantavirus infection is common in Santa Cruz Department. Precipitation in the months preceding the outbreak was particularly heavy in comparison to other years, suggesting a possible climatic or ecological influence on rodent populations and risk of hantavirus transmission to humans. Hantavirus infection appears to be common in the Santa Cruz Department, but more comprehensive surveillance and field studies are needed to fully understand the epidemiology and risk to humans. PMID:23094116

  13. Dobrava hantavirus variants found in Apodemus flavicollis mice in Kırklareli Province, Turkey.

    PubMed

    Polat, Ceylan; Sironen, Tarja; Plyusnina, Angelina; Karatas, Ahmet; Sozen, Mustafa; Matur, Ferhat; Vapalahti, Olli; Oktem, I Mehmet Ali; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2018-05-01

    Hantaviruses infect humans via inhalation of viral particles within secretions of infected rodents or rarely through direct contact with infected rodents. Determining the prevalence of hantavirus infections among rodent populations is of vital importance to obtain information on hantavirus-related cases and to predict possible outbreaks. We hypothesized that DOBV strains circulating in the Thrace Region in Turkey would be related to other Balkan DOBV strains. In this study, hantavirus infections in the rodent population of the Kırklareli-İğneada Region (north-western Turkey, near the Bulgarian border) were investigated. This region is of particular importance, as it is located in the south-eastern margin of the European continent and was used as an entrance point of Asian faunal elements into Europe. DOBV infection was detected in eight of 73 rodents; all were of the Apodemus flavicollis species. Partial sequences of the viral S-, M-, and L-genome segments were recovered and compared with previously reported DOBV sequences. The newly characterized Turkish strains were similar to other DOBV variants. Silent nucleotide mutations were dominant. The hantavirus prevalence in the İğneada region was similar to what has been reported in Greece and Bulgaria. For the first time, the M-segment sequences of DOBV from Turkey were recovered and genetic data of hantaviruses from Thrace region of Turkey were obtained. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Electrocardiographic abnormalities and relative bradycardia in patients with hantavirus-induced nephropathia epidemica.

    PubMed

    Kitterer, Daniel; Greulich, Simon; Grün, Stefan; Segerer, Stephan; Mustonen, Jukka; Alscher, M Dominik; Braun, Niko; Latus, Joerg

    2016-09-01

    Nephropathia epidemica (NE), caused by Puumala virus (PUUV), is characterized by acute kidney injury (AKI) and thrombocytopenia. Cardiac involvement with electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities has been previously reported in NE; however, its prognostic value is unknown. Relative bradycardia is an important clinical sign in various infectious diseases, and previous smaller studies have described pulse-temperature deficit in patients with PUUV infection. We performed a cross-sectional survey of 471 adult patients with serologically confirmed NE. Data were collected retrospectively from medical records and prospectively at follow-up visits. Patients for whom ECGs were recorded during the acute phase of disease were enrolled retrospectively (n=263). Three patients were excluded because of documented pre-existing ECG abnormalities prior to NE. All patients with ECG abnormalities during the acute phase underwent follow-up. A total of 46 patients had ECG abnormalities at the time of admission to hospital (18%). T-wave inversion was the most frequent ECG abnormality (n=31 patients), followed by ST segment changes (nine patients with elevation and six with depression). No major adverse cardiac events occurred during follow-up (median 37months; range 34-63months). Of note, ECG abnormalities reverted to normal in the majority of the patients during follow-up. During the acute phase of NE, 149 of 186 patients had relative bradycardia, without implications for disease course. Transient ECG abnormalities were detected in 18% of patients during acute NE but were not associated with negative cardiovascular outcome. Relative bradycardia was identified in 80% of the patients with acute NE. Copyright © 2016 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Rodent Abundance and Hantavirus Infection in Protected Area, East-Central Argentina

    PubMed Central

    Maroli, Malena; Vadell, María Victoria; Padula, Paula

    2018-01-01

    We captured 3 hantavirus rodent hosts in Otamendi Natural Reserve, Argentina, during 2007–2012. Hantavirus antibodies were found only in Akodon azarae grass mice, mainly in males and old animals. Higher abundance of this species was associated with warm and rainy weather and high water levels, which peaked after a strong El Niño event. PMID:29260665

  16. Yellow Pygmy Rice Rat (Oligoryzomys flavescens) and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Uruguay

    PubMed Central

    Delfraro, Adriana; Clara, Mario; Tomé, Lorena; Achaval, Federico; Levis, Silvana; Calderón, Gladys; Enria, Delia; Lozano, Mario; Russi, José

    2003-01-01

    During 5,230 trapping nights, 672 small mammals were trapped in the areas where most hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) cases occur in Uruguay. Yellow pygmy rice rats (Oligoryzomys flavescens) were the only rodents that showed evidence of antibodies to hantavirus, with a seroprevalence of 2.6%. The rodents were trapped in all the explored environments, and most of the seropositive rodents were found in habitats frequented by humans. Nucleotide sequences were obtained from four HPS case-patients and four yellow pygmy rice rats of the M genome segment. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis showed that rodent-borne viruses and viruses from three HPS case-patients form a well-supported clade and share a 96.4% identity with the previously characterized Central Plata hantavirus. These results suggest that yellow pygmy rice rat (O. flavescens) may be the host for Central Plata, a hantavirus associated with HPS in the southern area of Uruguay.[ PMID:12890326

  17. Hantavirus infections among overnight visitors to Yosemite National Park, California, USA, 2012.

    PubMed

    Núñez, Jonathan J; Fritz, Curtis L; Knust, Barbara; Buttke, Danielle; Enge, Barryett; Novak, Mark G; Kramer, Vicki; Osadebe, Lynda; Messenger, Sharon; Albariño, César G; Ströher, Ute; Niemela, Michael; Amman, Brian R; Wong, David; Manning, Craig R; Nichol, Stuart T; Rollin, Pierre E; Xia, Dongxiang; Watt, James P; Vugia, Duc J

    2014-03-01

    In summer 2012, an outbreak of hantavirus infections occurred among overnight visitors to Yosemite National Park in California, USA. An investigation encompassing clinical, epidemiologic, laboratory, and environmental factors identified 10 cases among residents of 3 states. Eight case-patients experienced hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, of whom 5 required intensive care with ventilatory support and 3 died. Staying overnight in a signature tent cabin (9 case-patients) was significantly associated with becoming infected with hantavirus (p<0.001). Rodent nests and tunnels were observed in the foam insulation of the cabin walls. Rodent trapping in the implicated area resulted in high trap success rate (51%), and antibodies reactive to Sin Nombre virus were detected in 10 (14%) of 73 captured deer mice. All signature tent cabins were closed and subsequently dismantled. Continuous public awareness and rodent control and exclusion are key measures in minimizing the risk for hantavirus infection in areas inhabited by deer mice.

  18. Hantavirus Infections among Overnight Visitors to Yosemite National Park, California, USA, 2012

    PubMed Central

    Núñez, Jonathan J.; Fritz, Curtis L.; Knust, Barbara; Buttke, Danielle; Enge, Barryett; Novak, Mark G.; Kramer, Vicki; Osadebe, Lynda; Messenger, Sharon; Albariño, César G.; Ströher, Ute; Niemela, Michael; Amman, Brian R.; Wong, David; Manning, Craig R.; Nichol, Stuart T.; Rollin, Pierre E.; Xia, Dongxiang; Watt, James P.

    2014-01-01

    In summer 2012, an outbreak of hantavirus infections occurred among overnight visitors to Yosemite National Park in California, USA. An investigation encompassing clinical, epidemiologic, laboratory, and environmental factors identified 10 cases among residents of 3 states. Eight case-patients experienced hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, of whom 5 required intensive care with ventilatory support and 3 died. Staying overnight in a signature tent cabin (9 case-patients) was significantly associated with becoming infected with hantavirus (p<0.001). Rodent nests and tunnels were observed in the foam insulation of the cabin walls. Rodent trapping in the implicated area resulted in high trap success rate (51%), and antibodies reactive to Sin Nombre virus were detected in 10 (14%) of 73 captured deer mice. All signature tent cabins were closed and subsequently dismantled. Continuous public awareness and rodent control and exclusion are key measures in minimizing the risk for hantavirus infection in areas inhabited by deer mice. PMID:24565589

  19. Analysis of Puumala hantavirus in a bank vole population in northern Finland: evidence for co-circulation of two genetic lineages and frequent reassortment between strains.

    PubMed

    Razzauti, Maria; Plyusnina, Angelina; Sironen, Tarja; Henttonen, Heikki; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2009-08-01

    In this study, for the first time, two distinct genetic lineages of Puumala virus (PUUV) were found within a small sampling area and within a single host genetic lineage (Ural mtDNA) at Pallasjärvi, northern Finland. Lung tissue samples of 171 bank voles (Myodes glareolus) trapped in September 1998 were screened for the presence of PUUV nucleocapsid antigen and 25 were found to be positive. Partial sequences of the PUUV small (S), medium (M) and large (L) genome segments were recovered from these samples using RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two genetic groups of PUUV sequences that belonged to the Finnish and north Scandinavian lineages. This presented a unique opportunity to study inter-lineage reassortment in PUUV; indeed, 32 % of the studied bank voles appeared to carry reassortant virus genomes. Thus, the frequency of inter-lineage reassortment in PUUV was comparable to that of intra-lineage reassortment observed previously (Razzauti, M., Plyusnina, A., Henttonen, H. & Plyusnin, A. (2008). J Gen Virol 89, 1649-1660). Of six possible reassortant S/M/L combinations, only two were found at Pallasjärvi and, notably, in all reassortants, both S and L segments originated from the same genetic lineage, suggesting a non-random pattern for the reassortment. These findings are discussed in connection to PUUV evolution in Fennoscandia.

  20. Diagnosing and Treating Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)

    MedlinePlus

    ... and mention their potential rodent exposure. Are there any complications? Previous observations of patients that develop HPS from New World Hantaviruses recover completely. No chronic infection has been ...

  1. Depletion of Alveolar Macrophages Does Not Prevent Hantavirus Disease Pathogenesis in Golden Syrian Hamsters.

    PubMed

    Hammerbeck, Christopher D; Brocato, Rebecca L; Bell, Todd M; Schellhase, Christopher W; Mraz, Steven R; Queen, Laurie A; Hooper, Jay W

    2016-07-15

    Andes virus (ANDV) is associated with a lethal vascular leak syndrome in humans termed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The mechanism for the massive vascular leakage associated with HPS is poorly understood; however, dysregulation of components of the immune response is often suggested as a possible cause. Alveolar macrophages are found in the alveoli of the lung and represent the first line of defense to many airborne pathogens. To determine whether alveolar macrophages play a role in HPS pathogenesis, alveolar macrophages were depleted in an adult rodent model of HPS that closely resembles human HPS. Syrian hamsters were treated, intratracheally, with clodronate-encapsulated liposomes or control liposomes and were then challenged with ANDV. Treatment with clodronate-encapsulated liposomes resulted in significant reduction in alveolar macrophages, but depletion did not prevent pathogenesis or prolong disease. Depletion also did not significantly reduce the amount of virus in the lung of ANDV-infected hamsters but altered neutrophil recruitment, MIP-1α and MIP-2 chemokine expression, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in hamster bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid early after intranasal challenge. These data demonstrate that alveolar macrophages may play a limited protective role early after exposure to aerosolized ANDV but do not directly contribute to hantavirus disease pathogenesis in the hamster model of HPS. Hantaviruses continue to cause disease worldwide for which there are no FDA-licensed vaccines, effective postexposure prophylactics, or therapeutics. Much of this can be attributed to a poor understanding of the mechanism of hantavirus disease pathogenesis. Hantavirus disease has long been considered an immune-mediated disease; however, by directly manipulating the Syrian hamster model, we continue to eliminate individual immune cell types. As the most numerous immune cells present in the respiratory tract, alveolar macrophages are

  2. Depletion of Alveolar Macrophages Does Not Prevent Hantavirus Disease Pathogenesis in Golden Syrian Hamsters

    PubMed Central

    Hammerbeck, Christopher D.; Brocato, Rebecca L.; Bell, Todd M.; Schellhase, Christopher W.; Mraz, Steven R.; Queen, Laurie A.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Andes virus (ANDV) is associated with a lethal vascular leak syndrome in humans termed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). The mechanism for the massive vascular leakage associated with HPS is poorly understood; however, dysregulation of components of the immune response is often suggested as a possible cause. Alveolar macrophages are found in the alveoli of the lung and represent the first line of defense to many airborne pathogens. To determine whether alveolar macrophages play a role in HPS pathogenesis, alveolar macrophages were depleted in an adult rodent model of HPS that closely resembles human HPS. Syrian hamsters were treated, intratracheally, with clodronate-encapsulated liposomes or control liposomes and were then challenged with ANDV. Treatment with clodronate-encapsulated liposomes resulted in significant reduction in alveolar macrophages, but depletion did not prevent pathogenesis or prolong disease. Depletion also did not significantly reduce the amount of virus in the lung of ANDV-infected hamsters but altered neutrophil recruitment, MIP-1α and MIP-2 chemokine expression, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in hamster bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid early after intranasal challenge. These data demonstrate that alveolar macrophages may play a limited protective role early after exposure to aerosolized ANDV but do not directly contribute to hantavirus disease pathogenesis in the hamster model of HPS. IMPORTANCE Hantaviruses continue to cause disease worldwide for which there are no FDA-licensed vaccines, effective postexposure prophylactics, or therapeutics. Much of this can be attributed to a poor understanding of the mechanism of hantavirus disease pathogenesis. Hantavirus disease has long been considered an immune-mediated disease; however, by directly manipulating the Syrian hamster model, we continue to eliminate individual immune cell types. As the most numerous immune cells present in the respiratory tract

  3. Animal Models for the Study of Rodent-Borne Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses: Arenaviruses and Hantaviruses

    PubMed Central

    Golden, Joseph W.; Hammerbeck, Christopher D.; Mucker, Eric M.; Brocato, Rebecca L.

    2015-01-01

    Human pathogenic hantaviruses and arenaviruses are maintained in nature by persistent infection of rodent carrier populations. Several members of these virus groups can cause significant disease in humans that is generically termed viral hemorrhagic fever (HF) and is characterized as a febrile illness with an increased propensity to cause acute inflammation. Human interaction with rodent carrier populations leads to infection. Arenaviruses are also viewed as potential biological weapons threat agents. There is an increased interest in studying these viruses in animal models to gain a deeper understating not only of viral pathogenesis, but also for the evaluation of medical countermeasures (MCM) to mitigate disease threats. In this review, we examine current knowledge regarding animal models employed in the study of these viruses. We include analysis of infection models in natural reservoirs and also discuss the impact of strain heterogeneity on the susceptibility of animals to infection. This information should provide a comprehensive reference for those interested in the study of arenaviruses and hantaviruses not only for MCM development but also in the study of viral pathogenesis and the biology of these viruses in their natural reservoirs. PMID:26266264

  4. Molecular Phylogeny of Hantaviruses Harbored by Insectivorous Bats in Côte d’Ivoire and Vietnam

    PubMed Central

    Gu, Se Hun; Lim, Burton K.; Kadjo, Blaise; Arai, Satoru; Kim, Jeong-Ah; Nicolas, Violaine; Lalis, Aude; Denys, Christiane; Cook, Joseph A.; Dominguez, Samuel R.; Holmes, Kathryn V.; Urushadze, Lela; Sidamonidze, Ketevan; Putkaradze, Davit; Kuzmin, Ivan V.; Kosoy, Michael Y.; Song, Jin-Won; Yanagihara, Richard

    2014-01-01

    The recent discovery of genetically distinct hantaviruses in multiple species of shrews and moles prompted a further exploration of their host diversification by analyzing frozen, ethanol-fixed and RNAlater®-preserved archival tissues and fecal samples from 533 bats (representing seven families, 28 genera and 53 species in the order Chiroptera), captured in Asia, Africa and the Americas in 1981–2012, using RT-PCR. Hantavirus RNA was detected in Pomona roundleaf bats (Hipposideros pomona) (family Hipposideridae), captured in Vietnam in 1997 and 1999, and in banana pipistrelles (Neoromicia nanus) (family Vespertilionidae), captured in Côte d’Ivoire in 2011. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the full-length S- and partial M- and L-segment sequences using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods, demonstrated that the newfound hantaviruses formed highly divergent lineages, comprising other recently recognized bat-borne hantaviruses in Sierra Leone and China. The detection of bat-associated hantaviruses opens a new era in hantavirology and provides insights into their evolutionary origins. PMID:24784569

  5. Serological Survey of Hantavirus in Inhabitants from Tropical and Subtropical Areas of Brazil.

    PubMed

    Alves Morais, Felipe; Pereira, Alexandre; Santo Pietro Pereira, Aparecida; Lazaro Moreli, Marcos; Marcelo Aranha Camargo, Luís; Schiavo Nardi, Marcello; Farah Tófoli, Cristina; Araujo, Jansen; Mara Dutra, Lilia; Lopes Ometto, Tatiana; Hurtado, Renata; Carmona de Jesus Maués, Fábio; Zingano Hinke, Tiene; Jaber Mahmud, Sati; Correia Lima, Monica; Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo, Luiz; Luiz Durigon, Edison

    2016-01-01

    Brazil has reported more than 1,600 cases of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HPS) since 1993, with a 39% rate of reported fatalities. Using a recombinant nucleocapsid protein of Araraquara virus, we performed ELISA to detect IgG antibodies against hantavirus in human sera. The aim of this study was to analyze hantavirus antibody levels in inhabitants from a tropical area (Amazon region) in Rondônia state and a subtropical (Atlantic Rain Forest) region in São Paulo state, Brazil. A total of 1,310 serum samples were obtained between 2003 and 2008 and tested by IgG-ELISA, and 82 samples (6.2%), of which 62 were from the tropical area (5.8%) and 20 from the subtropical area (8.3%), tested positive. Higher levels of hantavirus antibody were observed in inhabitants of the populous subtropical areas compared with those from the tropical areas in Brazil.

  6. Viral load of patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Argentina.

    PubMed

    Bellomo, Carla María; Pires-Marczeski, Fanny Clara; Padula, Paula Julieta

    2015-11-01

    Hantavirus causes severe illness including pneumonia, which leads to hospitalization and often death. At present, there is no specific treatment available. The hantavirus pathogenesis is not well understood, but most likely both virus-mediated and host-mediated mechanisms, are involved. The aim of this study was to correlate viral load in samples of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases and hantavirus infected individuals, with clinical epidemiological parameters and disease outcome. The variables that could potentially be related with viral load were analyzed. The retrospective study included 73 cases or household contacts, with different clinical evolution. Viral load was measured by reverse-transcription and real time polymerase chain reaction. There was no statistically significant association between blood viral RNA levels and severity of disease. However, viral load was inversely correlated with IgG response in a statistically significant manner. The level of viral RNA was significantly higher in patients infected with Andes virus South lineage, and was markedly low in persons infected with Laguna Negra virus. These results suggest that the infecting viral genotype is associated with disease severity, and that high viral load is associated with a low specific IgG response. Sex, age and disease severity were not related with viral load. Further investigations increasing strikingly the number of cases and also limiting the variables to be studied are necessary. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Ecology of rodent-associated hantaviruses in the Southern Cone of South America: Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

    PubMed

    Palma, R Eduardo; Polop, Jaime J; Owen, Robert D; Mills, James N

    2012-04-01

    Thirteen hantavirus genotypes, associated with at least 12 sigmodontine reservoir rodents, have been recognized in the four countries that represent the Southern Cone of South America. Host-virus relationships are not as well defined as in North America; several Southern Cone hantaviruses appear to share a common host and some viruses do not occur throughout the range of their host. Although hantavirus-host relationships in the Southern Cone are less strictly concordant with the single-host-single-virus pattern reported elsewhere, recent studies suggest that much of the ambiguity may result from an incomplete understanding of host and hantavirus systematics. Although some Southern Cone host species are habitat generalists, some sympatric species are habitat specialists, helping to explain how some strict host-virus pairings may be maintained. In some cases, host population densities were higher in peridomestic habitats and prevalence of hantavirus infection was higher in host populations in peridomestic habitats. Seasonal and multiyear patterns in climate and human disturbance affect host population densities, prevalence of infection, and disease risk to humans. Unusually high hantavirus antibody prevalence in indigenous human populations may be associated with frequent and close contact with host rodents. Ongoing studies are improving our understanding of hantavirus-host ecology and providing tools that may predict human risk.

  8. Hantaviruses induce cell type- and viral species-specific host microRNA expression signatures

    PubMed Central

    Shin, Ok Sarah; Kumar, Mukesh; Yanagihara, Richard; Song, Jin-Won

    2014-01-01

    The mechanisms of hantavirus-induced modulation of host cellular immunity remain poorly understood. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as a class of essential regulators of host immune response genes. To ascertain if differential host miRNA expression toward representative hantavirus species correlated with immune response genes, miRNA expression profiles were analyzed in human endothelial cells, macrophages and epithelial cells infected with pathogenic and nonpathogenic rodent- and shrew-borne hantaviruses. Distinct miRNA expression profiles were observed in a cell type- and viral species-specific pattern. A subset of miRNAs, including miR-151-5p and miR-1973, were differentially expressed between Hantaan virus and Prospect Hill virus. Pathway analyses confirmed that the targets of selected miRNAs were associated with inflammatory responses and innate immune receptor-mediated signaling pathways. Our data suggest that differential immune responses following hantavirus infection may be regulated in part by cellular miRNA through dysregulation of genes critical to the inflammatory process. PMID:24074584

  9. Host switch during evolution of a genetically distinct hantavirus in the American shrew mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii)

    PubMed Central

    Kang, Hae Ji; Bennett, Shannon N.; Dizney, Laurie; Sumibcay, Laarni; Arai, Satoru; Ruedas, Luis A.; Song, Jin-Won; Yanagihara, Richard

    2009-01-01

    A genetically distinct hantavirus, designated Oxbow virus (OXBV), was detected in tissues of an American shrew mole (Neurotrichus gibbsii), captured in Gresham, Oregon, in September 2003. Pairwise analysis of full-length S- and M- and partial L-segment nucleotide and amino acid sequences of OXBV indicated low sequence similarity with rodent-borne hantaviruses. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods, and host-parasite evolutionary comparisons, showed that OXBV and Asama virus, a hantavirus recently identified from the Japanese shrew mole (Urotrichus talpoides), were related to soricine shrew-borne hantaviruses from North America and Eurasia, respectively, suggesting parallel evolution associated with cross-species transmission. PMID:19394994

  10. How People Get Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS)

    MedlinePlus

    ... US. The Black Creek hantavirus, carried by the cotton rat , is found in the southeastern US. Cases ... In the United States, deer mice (along with cotton rats and rice rats in the southeastern states ...

  11. Endothelial Cell Permeability during Hantavirus Infection Involves Factor XII-Dependent Increased Activation of the Kallikrein-Kinin System

    PubMed Central

    Taylor, Shannon L.; Wahl-Jensen, Victoria; Copeland, Anna Maria; Jahrling, Peter B.; Schmaljohn, Connie S.

    2013-01-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) are diseases caused by hantavirus infections and are characterized by vascular leakage due to alterations of the endothelial barrier. Hantavirus-infected endothelial cells (EC) display no overt cytopathology; consequently, pathogenesis models have focused either on the influx of immune cells and release of cytokines or on increased degradation of the adherens junction protein, vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, due to hantavirus-mediated hypersensitization of EC to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). To examine endothelial leakage in a relevant in vitro system, we co-cultured endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMC) to generate capillary blood vessel-like structures. In contrast to results obtained in monolayers of cultured EC, we found that despite viral replication in both cell types as well as the presence of VEGF, infected in vitro vessels neither lost integrity nor displayed evidence of VE-cadherin degradation. Here, we present evidence for a novel mechanism of hantavirus-induced vascular leakage involving activation of the plasma kallikrein-kinin system (KKS). We show that incubation of factor XII (FXII), prekallikrein (PK), and high molecular weight kininogen (HK) plasma proteins with hantavirus-infected EC results in increased cleavage of HK, higher enzymatic activities of FXIIa/kallikrein (KAL) and increased liberation of bradykinin (BK). Measuring cell permeability in real-time using electric cell-substrate impedance sensing (ECIS), we identified dramatic increases in endothelial cell permeability after KKS activation and liberation of BK. Furthermore, the alterations in permeability could be prevented using inhibitors that directly block BK binding, the activity of FXIIa, or the activity of KAL. Lastly, FXII binding and autoactivation is increased on the surface of hantavirus-infected EC. These data are the first to demonstrate KKS activation during

  12. Clinical application of RT-nested PCR integrated with RFLP in Hantavirus detection and genotyping: a prospective study in Shandong Province, PR China.

    PubMed

    Liu, Yun-Xi; Zhao, Zhong-Tang; Cao, Wu-Chun; Xu, Xiao-Qun; Suo, Ji-Jiang; Xing, Yu-Bin; Jia, Ning; Du, Ming-Mei; Liu, Bo-Wei; Yao, Yuan

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of applying RT-nested PCR along with RFLP as a method for diagnosis and genotypic differentiation of Hantavirus in the acute-stage sera of HFRS patients as compared to the ELISA technique. A prospective study of patients with suspected HFRS patients was carried out. Sera were collected for serological evaluation by ELISA and RT-nested PCR testing. Primers were selected from the published sequence of the S segment of HTNV strain 76-118 and SEOV strain SR-11, which made it possible to obtain an amplicon of 403 bp by RT-nested PCR. The genotypic differentiations of the RT-nested PCR amplicons were carried out by RFLP. Sequence analyses of the amplicons were used to confirm the accuracy of the results obtained by RFLP. Of the 48 acute-stage sera from suspected HFRS patients, 35 were ELISA-positive while 41 were positive by RT-nested PCR. With Hind III and Hinf I, RFLP profiles of the RT-nested PCR amplicons of the 41 positive sera exhibited two patterns. 33 had RFLP profiles similar to the reference strain R22, and thus belonged to the SEOV type. The other 8 samples which were collected during October-December had RFLP profiles similar to the reference strain 76-118, and thus belonged to the HTNV type. Sequence phylogenetic analysis of RT-nested PCR amplicons revealed sdp1, sdp2 YXL-2008, and sdp3 as close relatives of HTNV strain 76-118, while sdp22 and sdp37 as close relatives of SEOV strain Z37 and strain R22 located in two separate clusters in the phylogenetic tree. These results were identical to those acquired by RFLP. RT-nested PCR integrated with RFLP was a rapid, simple, accurate method for detecting and differentiating the genotypes of Hantavirus in the acute-stage sera of suspected HFRS patients. In Shandong province, the main genotypes of Hantavirus belonged to the SEOV types, while the HTNV types were observed during the autumn-winter season.

  13. Tula hantavirus NSs protein accumulates in the perinuclear area in infected and transfected cells.

    PubMed

    Virtanen, Jussi Oskari; Jääskeläinen, Kirsi Maria; Djupsjöbacka, Janica; Vaheri, Antti; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2010-01-01

    The small RNA segment of some hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae) encodes two proteins: the nucleocapsid protein and, in an overlapping reading frame, a non-structural (NSs) protein. The hantavirus NSs protein, like those of orthobunya- and phleboviruses, counteracts host innate immunity. Here, for the first time, the NSs protein of a hantavirus (Tula virus) has been observed in infected cells and shown to localize in the perinuclear area. Transiently expressed NSs protein showed similar localization, although the kinetics was slightly different, suggesting that to reach its proper location in the infected cell, the NSs protein does not have to cooperate with other viral proteins.

  14. Rodent Species Distribution and Hantavirus Seroprevalence in Residential and Forested areas of Sarawak, Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Hamdan, Nur Elfieyra Syazana; Ng, Yee Ling; Lee, Wei Bin; Tan, Cheng Siang; Khan, Faisal Ali Anwarali; Chong, Yee Ling

    2017-01-01

    Rodents belong to the order Rodentia, which consists of three families in Borneo (i.e., Muridae, Sciuridae and Hystricidae). These include rats, mice, squirrels, and porcupines. They are widespread throughout the world and considered pests that harm humans and livestock. Some rodent species are natural reservoirs of hantaviruses (Family: Bunyaviridae) that can cause zoonotic diseases in humans. Although hantavirus seropositive human sera were reported in Peninsular Malaysia in the early 1980s, information on their infection in rodent species in Malaysia is still lacking. The rodent populations in residential and forested areas in Sarawak were sampled. A total of 108 individuals from 15 species of rodents were collected in residential ( n = 44) and forested ( n = 64) areas. The species diversity of rodents in forested areas was significantly higher (H = 2.2342) compared to rodents in residential areas (H = 0.64715) ( p < 0.001 of Zar-t test based on the Shannon index). Rattus rattus and Sundamys muelleri were present at high frequencies in both localities. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that hantavirus-targeting antibodies were absent from 53 tested serum samples. This is the first report of hantavirus seroprevalence surveillance in rodent populations in Sarawak, East Malaysia. The results suggested that hantavirus was not circulating in the studied rodent populations in Sarawak, or it was otherwise at a low prevalence that is below the detection threshold. It is important to remain vigilant because of the zoonotic potential of this virus and its severe disease outcome. Further studies, such as molecular detection of viral genetic materials, are needed to fully assess the risk of hantavirus infection in rodents and humans in this region of Malaysia.

  15. Rodent Species Distribution and Hantavirus Seroprevalence in Residential and Forested areas of Sarawak, Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Hamdan, Nur Elfieyra Syazana; Ng, Yee Ling; Lee, Wei Bin; Tan, Cheng Siang; Khan, Faisal Ali Anwarali; Chong, Yee Ling

    2017-01-01

    Rodents belong to the order Rodentia, which consists of three families in Borneo (i.e., Muridae, Sciuridae and Hystricidae). These include rats, mice, squirrels, and porcupines. They are widespread throughout the world and considered pests that harm humans and livestock. Some rodent species are natural reservoirs of hantaviruses (Family: Bunyaviridae) that can cause zoonotic diseases in humans. Although hantavirus seropositive human sera were reported in Peninsular Malaysia in the early 1980s, information on their infection in rodent species in Malaysia is still lacking. The rodent populations in residential and forested areas in Sarawak were sampled. A total of 108 individuals from 15 species of rodents were collected in residential (n = 44) and forested ( n = 64) areas. The species diversity of rodents in forested areas was significantly higher (H = 2.2342) compared to rodents in residential areas (H = 0.64715) (p < 0.001 of Zar-t test based on the Shannon index). Rattus rattus and Sundamys muelleri were present at high frequencies in both localities. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) showed that hantavirus-targeting antibodies were absent from 53 tested serum samples. This is the first report of hantavirus seroprevalence surveillance in rodent populations in Sarawak, East Malaysia. The results suggested that hantavirus was not circulating in the studied rodent populations in Sarawak, or it was otherwise at a low prevalence that is below the detection threshold. It is important to remain vigilant because of the zoonotic potential of this virus and its severe disease outcome. Further studies, such as molecular detection of viral genetic materials, are needed to fully assess the risk of hantavirus infection in rodents and humans in this region of Malaysia. PMID:28228923

  16. Co-circulation of Soricid- and Talpid-borne Hantaviruses in Poland

    PubMed Central

    Gu, Se Hun; Hejduk, Janusz; Markowski, Janusz; Kang, Hae Ji; Markowski, Marcin; Połatyńska, Małgorzata; Sikorska, Beata; Liberski, Paweł P.; Yanagihara, Richard

    2014-01-01

    Previously, we reported the discovery of a genetically distinct hantavirus, designated Boginia virus (BOGV), in the Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens), as well as the detection of Seewis virus (SWSV) in the Eurasian common shrew (Sorex araneus), in central Poland. In this expanded study of 133 shrews and 69 moles captured during 2010–2013 in central and southeastern Poland, we demonstrate the co-circulation of BOGV in the Eurasian water shrew and SWSV in the Eurasian common shrew, Eurasian pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) and Mediterranean water shrew (Neomys anomalus). In addition, we found high prevalence of Nova virus (NVAV) infection in the European mole (Talpa europaea), with evidence of NVAV RNA in heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen and intestine. The nucleotide and amino acid sequence variation of the L segment among the SWSV strains was 0–18.8% and 0–5.4%, respectively. And for the 38 NVAV strains from European moles captured in Huta Dłutowska, the L-segment genetic similarity ranged from 94.1–100% at the nucleotide level and 96.3–100% at the amino acid level. Phylogenetic analyses showed geographic-specific lineages of SWSV and NVAV in Poland, not unlike that of rodent-borne hantaviruses, suggesting long-standing host-specific adaptation. The co-circulation and distribution of BOGV, SWSV and NVAV in Poland parallels findings of multiple hantavirus species coexisting in their respective rodent reservoir species elsewhere in Europe. Also, the detection of SWSV in three syntopic shrew species resembles spill over events observed among some rodent-borne hantaviruses. PMID:25445646

  17. Co-circulation of soricid- and talpid-borne hantaviruses in Poland.

    PubMed

    Gu, Se Hun; Hejduk, Janusz; Markowski, Janusz; Kang, Hae Ji; Markowski, Marcin; Połatyńska, Małgorzata; Sikorska, Beata; Liberski, Paweł P; Yanagihara, Richard

    2014-12-01

    Previously, we reported the discovery of a genetically distinct hantavirus, designated Boginia virus (BOGV), in the Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens), as well as the detection of Seewis virus (SWSV) in the Eurasian common shrew (Sorex araneus), in central Poland. In this expanded study of 133 shrews and 69 moles captured during 2010-2013 in central and southeastern Poland, we demonstrate the co-circulation of BOGV in the Eurasian water shrew and SWSV in the Eurasian common shrew, Eurasian pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) and Mediterranean water shrew (Neomys anomalus). In addition, we found high prevalence of Nova virus (NVAV) infection in the European mole (Talpa europaea), with evidence of NVAV RNA in heart, lung, liver, kidney, spleen and intestine. The nucleotide and amino acid sequence variation of the L segment among the SWSV strains was 0-18.8% and 0-5.4%, respectively. And for the 38 NVAV strains from European moles captured in Huta Dłutowska, the L-segment genetic similarity ranged from 94.1%-100% at the nucleotide level and 96.3%-100% at the amino acid level. Phylogenetic analyses showed geographic-specific lineages of SWSV and NVAV in Poland, not unlike that of rodent-borne hantaviruses, suggesting long-standing host-specific adaptation. The co-circulation and distribution of BOGV, SWSV and NVAV in Poland parallels findings of multiple hantavirus species co-existing in their respective rodent reservoir species elsewhere in Europe. Also, the detection of SWSV in three syntopic shrew species resembles spill over events observed among some rodent-borne hantaviruses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Hantavirus disease (nephropathia epidemica) in Belgium: effects of tree seed production and climate.

    PubMed

    Tersago, K; Verhagen, R; Servais, A; Heyman, P; Ducoffre, G; Leirs, H

    2009-02-01

    Recently, human cases of nephropathia epidemica (NE) due to Puumala virus infection in Europe have increased. Following the hypothesis that high reservoir host abundance induces higher transmission rates to humans, explanations for this altered epidemiology must be sought in factors that cause bank vole (Myodes glareolus) abundance peaks. In Western Europe, these abundance peaks are often related to high tree seed production, which is supposedly triggered by specific weather conditions. We evaluated the relationship between tree seed production, climate and NE incidence in Belgium and show that NE epidemics are indeed preceded by abundant tree seed production. Moreover, a direct link between climate and NE incidence is found. High summer and autumn temperatures, 2 years and 1 year respectively before NE occurrence, relate to high NE incidence. This enables early forecasting of NE outbreaks. Since future climate change scenarios predict higher temperatures in Europe, we should regard Puumala virus as an increasing health threat.

  19. Rapid, whole blood diagnostic test for detecting anti-hantavirus antibody in rats.

    PubMed

    Amada, Takako; Yoshimatsu, Kumiko; Yasuda, Shumpei P; Shimizu, Kenta; Koma, Takaaki; Hayashimoto, Nobuhito; Gamage, Chandika D; Nishio, Sanae; Takakura, Akira; Arikawa, Jiro

    2013-10-01

    Hantavirus is a causative agent of rodent-borne viral zoonoses, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Seoul virus (SEOV) is a causative agent of urban and laboratory rat-associated HFRS worldwide. Surveillance of rodents has been done mainly by serological detection of hantavirus-specific antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescent antibody assay (IFA). An immunochromatographic (ICG) test was developed with the N-terminal 103 amino acids of nucleocapsid protein of Hantaan virus expressed by Escherichia coli as an antigen to detect IgG antibody specific to hantavirus in sera from Rattus sp. animals. Antibody-detecting sensitivity of the ICG test was the same as that of ELISA and about 100-times higher than that of IFA. Overall sensitivities and specificities of the ICG test in comparison to ELISA and IFA for sera from 192 urban rats and 123 laboratory rats were 99.3% and 100%, respectively. Diluted whole blood samples without separation could be used for the ICG test. The ICG test enabled detection of antibodies to SEOV, Hantaan, Dobrava/Belgrade, and Thailand viruses, which are causative agents of HFRS throughout Eurasia. The ICG test is a rapid, simple and safe method for diagnosis of SEOV infection in rats. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Ecological study of hantavirus infection in wild rodents in an endemic area in Brazil.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Renata Carvalho; Gentile, Rosana; Guterres, Alexandro; Fernandes, Jorlan; Teixeira, Bernardo Rodrigues; Vaz, Vanderson; Valdez, Fernanda Pedone; Vicente, Luciana Helena Bassan; da Costa-Neto, Sócrates Fraga; Bonvicino, Cibele; D'Andrea, Paulo Sergio; Lemos, Elba R S

    2014-03-01

    A 3-year ecological study of small mammals was carried out in an endemic area for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the state of Santa Catarina in Southern Brazil. A total of 994 rodents of 14 different species corresponding to the subfamilies of Sigmodontinae, Murinae, Eumysopinae, and Caviinae were captured during 2004-2006. Oligoryzomys nigripes and Akodon montensis were the most abundant species and showed a clear seasonal pattern with higher population sizes during the winter. Rodent population outbreaks, associated within bamboo mast seeding events, were detected predominantly in areas where hantavirus pulmonary syndrome cases were notified in the state. Antibody reactivity to Hantavirus was detected in five sigmodontine species: O. nigripes (39/435), A. montensis (15/318), Akodon paranaensis (4/37), Thaptomys nigrita (1/86) and Sooretamys angouya (1/12). The highest hantavirus antibody prevalence occurred during the period of highest population size in A. montensis. For O. nigripes, hantavirus prevalence was higher in late spring, when reproduction was more frequent. Co-circulation of Juquitiba (JUQV) and Jabora (JABV) viruses was observed - JABV in A. paranaensis and A. montensis; JUQV in O. nigripes and T. nigrita. JABV occurrence was associated to gender and population size of the rodent while JUQV was related to gender, season, temperature, and locality. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Serum Cytokine Profiles Differentiating Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Khaiboullina, Svetlana F; Levis, Silvana; Morzunov, Sergey P; Martynova, Ekaterina V; Anokhin, Vladimir A; Gusev, Oleg A; St Jeor, Stephen C; Lombardi, Vincent C; Rizvanov, Albert A

    2017-01-01

    Hantavirus infection is an acute zoonosis that clinically manifests in two primary forms, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HFRS is endemic in Europe and Russia, where the mild form of the disease is prevalent in the Tatarstan region. HPS is endemic in Argentina, as well as other countries of North and South American. HFRS and HPS are usually acquired via the upper respiratory tract by inhalation of virus-contaminated aerosol. Although the pathogenesis of HFRS and HPS remains largely unknown, postmortem tissue studies have identified endothelial cells as the primary target of infection. Importantly, cell damage due to virus replication, or subsequent tissue repair, has not been documented. Since no single factor has been identified that explains the complexity of HFRS or HPS pathogenesis, it has been suggested that a cytokine storm may play a crucial role in the manifestation of both diseases. In order to identify potential serological markers that distinguish HFRS and HPS, serum samples collected during early and late phases of the disease were analyzed for 48 analytes using multiplex magnetic bead-based assays. Overall, serum cytokine profiles associated with HPS revealed a more pro-inflammatory milieu as compared to HFRS. Furthermore, HPS was strictly characterized by the upregulation of cytokine levels, in contrast to HFRS where cases were distinguished by a dichotomy in serum cytokine levels. The severe form of hantavirus zoonosis, HPS, was characterized by the upregulation of a higher number of cytokines than HFRS (40 vs 21). In general, our analysis indicates that, although HPS and HFRS share many characteristic features, there are distinct cytokine profiles for these diseases. These profiles suggest a strong activation of an innate immune and inflammatory responses are associated with HPS, relative to HFRS, as well as a robust activation of Th1-type immune responses. Finally, the results of our analysis

  2. Development and validation of a point-of-care test for detecting hantavirus antibodies in human and rodent samples.

    PubMed

    Koishi, Andrea Cristine; Aoki, Mateus Nóbrega; Jorge, Taissa Ricciardi; Suzukawa, Andréia Akemi; Zanluca, Camila; Levis, Silvana; Duarte Dos Santos, Claudia Nunes

    2016-07-01

    Hantaviruses are etiologic agents of a zoonotic disease transmitted mainly from wild rodents to humans, causing Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome in Eurasia and the Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome in the Americas (HCPS), reaching a lethality rate of 40% in Brazil. Hantavirus diagnostic and seroprevalence are often based on the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies against the virus. Here we propose a rapid test assay able to identify hantavirus antibodies with sensibility and specificity similar to ELISA assays. We analyzed five groups of samples, including healthy human population and small mammals of endemic areas, suspected cases of HCPS, patients with non-related infections and a serum panel from a different geographical region. The test presented good rates of sensibility (87-100%) and specificity (97-100%) for all groups, being a promising tool suitable for both rodent and human hantavirus epidemiological surveys. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Multiple infections of rodents with zoonotic pathogens in Austria.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Sabrina; Essbauer, Sandra S; Mayer-Scholl, Anne; Poppert, Sven; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Klempa, Boris; Henning, Klaus; Schares, Gereon; Groschup, Martin H; Spitzenberger, Friederike; Richter, Dania; Heckel, Gerald; Ulrich, Rainer G

    2014-07-01

    Rodents are important reservoirs for a large number of zoonotic pathogens. We examined the occurrence of 11 viral, bacterial, and parasitic agents in rodent populations in Austria, including three different hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox virus, Leptospira spp., Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Toxoplasma gondii. In 2008, 110 rodents of four species (40 Clethrionomys glareolus, 29 Apodemus flavicollis, 26 Apodemus sylvaticus, and 15 Microtus arvalis) were trapped at two rural sites in Lower Austria. Chest cavity fluid and samples of lung, spleen, kidney, liver, brain, and ear pinna skin were collected. We screened selected tissue samples for hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox viruses, Leptospira, Borrelia, Rickettsia, Bartonella spp., C. burnetii, and T. gondii by RT-PCR/PCR and detected nucleic acids of Tula hantavirus, Leptospira spp., Borrelia afzelii, Rickettsia spp., and different Bartonella species. Serological investigations were performed for hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox viruses, and Rickettsia spp. Here, Dobrava-Belgrade hantavirus-, Tula hantavirus-, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-, orthopox virus-, and rickettsia-specific antibodies were demonstrated. Puumala hantavirus, C. burnetii, and T. gondii were neither detected by RT-PCR/PCR nor by serological methods. In addition, multiple infections with up to three pathogens were shown in nine animals of three rodent species from different trapping sites. In conclusion, these results show that rodents in Austria may host multiple zoonotic pathogens. Our observation raises important questions regarding the interactions of different pathogens in the host, the countermeasures of the host's immune system, the impact of the host-pathogen interaction on the fitness of the host, and the spread of infectious agents among wild rodents and from those to other animals or humans.

  4. Multiple Infections of Rodents with Zoonotic Pathogens in Austria

    PubMed Central

    Schmidt, Sabrina; Essbauer, Sandra S.; Mayer-Scholl, Anne; Poppert, Sven; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Klempa, Boris; Henning, Klaus; Schares, Gereon; Groschup, Martin H.; Spitzenberger, Friederike; Richter, Dania; Heckel, Gerald

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Rodents are important reservoirs for a large number of zoonotic pathogens. We examined the occurrence of 11 viral, bacterial, and parasitic agents in rodent populations in Austria, including three different hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox virus, Leptospira spp., Borrelia spp., Rickettsia spp., Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Toxoplasma gondii. In 2008, 110 rodents of four species (40 Clethrionomys glareolus, 29 Apodemus flavicollis, 26 Apodemus sylvaticus, and 15 Microtus arvalis) were trapped at two rural sites in Lower Austria. Chest cavity fluid and samples of lung, spleen, kidney, liver, brain, and ear pinna skin were collected. We screened selected tissue samples for hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox viruses, Leptospira, Borrelia, Rickettsia, Bartonella spp., C. burnetii, and T. gondii by RT-PCR/PCR and detected nucleic acids of Tula hantavirus, Leptospira spp., Borrelia afzelii, Rickettsia spp., and different Bartonella species. Serological investigations were performed for hantaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopox viruses, and Rickettsia spp. Here, Dobrava-Belgrade hantavirus-, Tula hantavirus-, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus-, orthopox virus-, and rickettsia-specific antibodies were demonstrated. Puumala hantavirus, C. burnetii, and T. gondii were neither detected by RT-PCR/PCR nor by serological methods. In addition, multiple infections with up to three pathogens were shown in nine animals of three rodent species from different trapping sites. In conclusion, these results show that rodents in Austria may host multiple zoonotic pathogens. Our observation raises important questions regarding the interactions of different pathogens in the host, the countermeasures of the host's immune system, the impact of the host–pathogen interaction on the fitness of the host, and the spread of infectious agents among wild rodents and from those to other animals or humans. PMID

  5. The Syrian hamster model of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Safronetz, David; Ebihara, Hideki; Feldmann, Heinz; Hooper, Jay W

    2012-09-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a relatively rare, but frequently fatal disease associated with New World hantaviruses, most commonly Sin Nombre and Andes viruses in North and South America, respectively. It is characterized by fever and the sudden, rapid onset of severe respiratory distress and cardiogenic shock, which can be fatal in up to 50% of cases. Currently there are no approved antiviral therapies or vaccines for the treatment or prevention of HPS. A major obstacle in the development of effective medical countermeasures against highly pathogenic agents like the hantaviruses is recapitulating the human disease as closely as possible in an appropriate and reliable animal model. To date, the only animal model that resembles HPS in humans is the Syrian hamster model. Following infection with Andes virus, hamsters develop HPS-like disease which faithfully mimics the human condition with respect to incubation period and pathophysiology of disease. Perhaps most importantly, the sudden and rapid onset of severe respiratory distress observed in humans also occurs in hamsters. The last several years has seen an increase in studies utilizing the Andes virus hamster model which have provided unique insight into HPS pathogenesis as well as potential therapeutic and vaccine strategies to treat and prevent HPS. The purpose of this article is to review the current understanding of HPS disease progression in Syrian hamsters and discuss the suitability of utilizing this model to evaluate potential medical countermeasures against HPS. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. The Syrian hamster model of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Safronetz, David; Ebihara, Hideki; Feldmann, Heinz; Hooper, Jay W.

    2012-01-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a relatively rare, but frequently fatal disease associated with New World hantaviruses, most commonly Sin Nombre and Andes viruses in North and South America, respectively. It is characterized by fever and the sudden, rapid onset of severe respiratory distress and cardiogenic shock, which can be fatal in up to 50% of cases. Currently there are no approved antiviral therapies or vaccines for the treatment or prevention of HPS. A major obstacle in the development of effective medical countermeasures against highly pathogenic agents like the hantaviruses is recapitulating the human disease as closely as possible in an appropriate and reliable animal model. To date, the only animal model that resembles HPS in humans is the Syrian hamster model. Following infection with Andes virus, hamsters develop HPS-like disease which faithfully mimics the human condition with respect to incubation period and pathophysiology of disease. Perhaps most importantly, the sudden and rapid onset of severe respiratory distress observed in humans also occurs in hamsters. The last several years has seen an increase in studies utilizing the Andes virus hamster model which have provided unique insight into HPS pathogenesis as well as potential therapeutic and vaccine strategies to treat and prevent HPS. The purpose of this article is to review the current understanding of HPS disease progression in Syrian hamsters and discuss the suitability of utilizing this model to evaluate potential medical countermeasures against HPS. PMID:22705798

  7. [Hantavirus as important emerging agents in South America].

    PubMed

    Ondoño, Andrés F; Levis, Silvana; Rodas, Juan D

    2011-01-01

    The dawning of the 20th century was marked by the emergence of new infectious disease agents and the appearance of others previously thought controlled. Both phenomena were possibly connected with ecological disturbances that led to the recognition of a dramatic climate change, of which the effects are only now becoming noticeable. Among the variety of agents to be considered, the many new viruses stand out, not only for their numerical proliferation, but also for their genetic versatility. It is this quality that provides them dexterity for evolving new strategies and adaptations to changing environmental conditions. Recently, some of the most ubiquitous and well-publicized viral agents in the American continents have been the rodent-borne viruses, and among these are the hantaviruses, etiological agents of pulmonary syndromes. Approximately 18 hantaviruses (belonging to the family Bunyaviridae), have been discovered in South America during the last 20 years, and although most of them cause persistent infections and subclinical infections in wild rodents (particularly members of the subfamily Sigmodontinae) and humans respectively; some others might also be highly lethal for humans. The goal herein is to review the state of the art regarding general aspects of hantaviruses and the diseases they cause around the world, highlighting the most recent findings in Colombia. Finally, the many unanswered questions will be recognized and highlighted concerning clinical importance and socio-economic impact of these agents on quality of public health in Colombia.

  8. T Cells and Pathogenesis of Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Terajima, Masanori; Ennis, Francis A.

    2011-01-01

    We previously hypothesized that increased capillary permeability observed in both hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) may be caused by hantavirus-specific cytotoxic T cells attacking endothelial cells presenting viral antigens on their surface based on clinical observations and in vitro experiments. In HCPS, hantavirus-specific T cell responses positively correlated with disease severity. In HFRS, in one report, contrary to HCPS, T cell responses negatively correlated with disease severity, but in another report the number of regulatory T cells, which are thought to suppress T cell responses, negatively correlated with disease severity. In rat experiments, in which hantavirus causes persistent infection, depletion of regulatory T cells helped infected rats clear virus without inducing immunopathology. These seemingly contradictory findings may suggest delicate balance in T cell responses between protection and immunopathogenesis. Both too strong and too weak T cell responses may lead to severe disease. It is important to clarify the role of T cells in these diseases for better treatment (whether to suppress T cell functions) and protection (vaccine design) which may need to take into account viral factors and the influence of HLA on T cell responses. PMID:21994770

  9. T cells and pathogenesis of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.

    PubMed

    Terajima, Masanori; Ennis, Francis A

    2011-07-01

    We previously hypothesized that increased capillary permeability observed in both hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) may be caused by hantavirus-specific cytotoxic T cells attacking endothelial cells presenting viral antigens on their surface based on clinical observations and in vitro experiments. In HCPS, hantavirus-specific T cell responses positively correlated with disease severity. In HFRS, in one report, contrary to HCPS, T cell responses negatively correlated with disease severity, but in another report the number of regulatory T cells, which are thought to suppress T cell responses, negatively correlated with disease severity. In rat experiments, in which hantavirus causes persistent infection, depletion of regulatory T cells helped infected rats clear virus without inducing immunopathology. These seemingly contradictory findings may suggest delicate balance in T cell responses between protection and immunopathogenesis. Both too strong and too weak T cell responses may lead to severe disease. It is important to clarify the role of T cells in these diseases for better treatment (whether to suppress T cell functions) and protection (vaccine design) which may need to take into account viral factors and the influence of HLA on T cell responses.

  10. Adler hantavirus, a new genetic variant of Tula virus identified in Major's pine voles (Microtus majori) sampled in southern European Russia.

    PubMed

    Tkachenko, Evgeniy A; Witkowski, Peter T; Radosa, Lukas; Dzagurova, Tamara K; Okulova, Nataliya M; Yunicheva, Yulia V; Vasilenko, Ludmila; Morozov, Vyacheslav G; Malkin, Gennadiy A; Krüger, Detlev H; Klempa, Boris

    2015-01-01

    Although at least 30 novel hantaviruses have been recently discovered in novel hosts such as shrews, moles and even bats, hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus) are primarily known as rodent-borne human pathogens. Here we report on identification of a novel hantavirus variant associated with a rodent host, Major's pine vole (Microtus majori). Altogether 36 hantavirus PCR-positive Major's pine voles were identified in the Krasnodar region of southern European Russia within the years 2008-2011. Initial partial L-segment sequence analysis revealed novel hantavirus sequences. Moreover, we found a single common vole (Microtusarvalis) infected with Tula virus (TULV). Complete S- and M-segment coding sequences were determined from 11 Major's pine voles originating from 8 trapping sites and subjected to phylogenetic analyses. The data obtained show that Major's pine vole is a newly recognized hantavirus reservoir host. The newfound virus, provisionally called Adler hantavirus (ADLV), is closely related to TULV. Based on amino acid differences to TULV (5.6-8.2% for nucleocapsid protein, 9.4-9.5% for glycoprotein precursor) we propose to consider ADLV as a genotype of TULV. Occurrence of ADLV and TULV in the same region suggests that ADLV is not only a geographical variant of TULV but a host-specific genotype. High intra-cluster nucleotide sequence variability (up to 18%) and geographic clustering indicate long-term presence of the virus in this region. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  11. Climate change and sugarcane expansion increase Hantavirus infection risk.

    PubMed

    Prist, Paula Ribeiro; Uriarte, María; Fernandes, Katia; Metzger, Jean Paul

    2017-07-01

    Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) is a disease caused by Hantavirus, which is highly virulent for humans. High temperatures and conversion of native vegetation to agriculture, particularly sugarcane cultivation can alter abundance of rodent generalist species that serve as the principal reservoir host for HCPS, but our understanding of the compound effects of land use and climate on HCPS incidence remains limited, particularly in tropical regions. Here we rely on a Bayesian model to fill this research gap and to predict the effects of sugarcane expansion and expected changes in temperature on Hantavirus infection risk in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The sugarcane expansion scenario was based on historical data between 2000 and 2010 combined with an agro-environment zoning guideline for the sugar and ethanol industry. Future evolution of temperature anomalies was derived using 32 general circulation models from scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 (Representative greenhouse gases Concentration Pathways adopted by IPCC). Currently, the state of São Paulo has an average Hantavirus risk of 1.3%, with 6% of the 645 municipalities of the state being classified as high risk (HCPS risk ≥ 5%). Our results indicate that sugarcane expansion alone will increase average HCPS risk to 1.5%, placing 20% more people at HCPS risk. Temperature anomalies alone increase HCPS risk even more (1.6% for RCP4.5 and 1.7%, for RCP8.5), and place 31% and 34% more people at risk. Combined sugarcane and temperature increases led to the same predictions as scenarios that only included temperature. Our results demonstrate that climate change effects are likely to be more severe than those from sugarcane expansion. Forecasting disease is critical for the timely and efficient planning of operational control programs that can address the expected effects of sugarcane expansion and climate change on HCPS infection risk. The predicted spatial location of HCPS infection risks obtained here can be

  12. Climate change and sugarcane expansion increase Hantavirus infection risk

    PubMed Central

    Uriarte, María; Fernandes, Katia; Metzger, Jean Paul

    2017-01-01

    Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HCPS) is a disease caused by Hantavirus, which is highly virulent for humans. High temperatures and conversion of native vegetation to agriculture, particularly sugarcane cultivation can alter abundance of rodent generalist species that serve as the principal reservoir host for HCPS, but our understanding of the compound effects of land use and climate on HCPS incidence remains limited, particularly in tropical regions. Here we rely on a Bayesian model to fill this research gap and to predict the effects of sugarcane expansion and expected changes in temperature on Hantavirus infection risk in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The sugarcane expansion scenario was based on historical data between 2000 and 2010 combined with an agro-environment zoning guideline for the sugar and ethanol industry. Future evolution of temperature anomalies was derived using 32 general circulation models from scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 (Representative greenhouse gases Concentration Pathways adopted by IPCC). Currently, the state of São Paulo has an average Hantavirus risk of 1.3%, with 6% of the 645 municipalities of the state being classified as high risk (HCPS risk ≥ 5%). Our results indicate that sugarcane expansion alone will increase average HCPS risk to 1.5%, placing 20% more people at HCPS risk. Temperature anomalies alone increase HCPS risk even more (1.6% for RCP4.5 and 1.7%, for RCP8.5), and place 31% and 34% more people at risk. Combined sugarcane and temperature increases led to the same predictions as scenarios that only included temperature. Our results demonstrate that climate change effects are likely to be more severe than those from sugarcane expansion. Forecasting disease is critical for the timely and efficient planning of operational control programs that can address the expected effects of sugarcane expansion and climate change on HCPS infection risk. The predicted spatial location of HCPS infection risks obtained here can be

  13. A Global Perspective on Hantavirus Ecology, Epidemiology, and Disease

    PubMed Central

    Jonsson, Colleen B.; Figueiredo, Luiz Tadeu Moraes; Vapalahti, Olli

    2010-01-01

    Summary: Hantaviruses are enzootic viruses that maintain persistent infections in their rodent hosts without apparent disease symptoms. The spillover of these viruses to humans can lead to one of two serious illnesses, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. In recent years, there has been an improved understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and natural history of these viruses following an increase in the number of outbreaks in the Americas. In this review, current concepts regarding the ecology of and disease associated with these serious human pathogens are presented. Priorities for future research suggest an integration of the ecology and evolution of these and other host-virus ecosystems through modeling and hypothesis-driven research with the risk of emergence, host switching/spillover, and disease transmission to humans. PMID:20375360

  14. [Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Buenos Aires, 2009-2014].

    PubMed

    Iglesias, Ayelén A; Bellomo, Carla M; Martínez, Valeria P

    2016-01-01

    Andes virus is the causative agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Argentina and neighboring countries. In our country four different areas are affected: Northwest, Southwest, Central and Northeast, where distinct Andes virus genotypes were characterized. Three genotypes were described in Buenos Aires province (Central area): AND-Buenos Aires, AND-Lechiguanas and AND-Plata. In this work, we considered all HPS cases confirmed by ELISA and real time RT-PCR during the period 2009-2014 in Buenos Aires province. The annual distribution, fatality rate and geographic distribution were analyzed. We also analyzed the genotypes involved by RT-PCR and nucleotide sequencing. Finally we evaluated epidemiological data in order to establish the route of transmission. We analyzed 1386 suspect cases of hantavirus infection from Buenos Aires province and we confirmed 88 cases of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome during 2009-2014. The overall average was 14.3 cases per year. The occurrence of a HPS outbreak was confirmed in Buenos Aires province during 2013, showing a 3 fold increase in case number compared to the annual average between 2009 and 2012, tending to normalize during 2014. The overall lethality was 25.6%, with a maximum value of 45.5% in 2011. Genotype analysis was performed in 30.7% of confirmed cases, AND-BsAs show the highest incidence, it was characterized in 72% of the studied cases. Epidemiological data and results of viral genome comparison strongly suggest person-to-person transmission in the three clusters of two cases described in our study.

  15. Early diagnosis of hantavirus infection by family doctors can reduce inappropriate antibiotic use and hospitalization.

    PubMed

    Brorstad, Alette; Oscarsson, Kristina Bergstedt; Ahlm, Clas

    2010-09-01

    Hantavirus infections are emerging infections that cause either Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome or haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). A recent Swedish outbreak of nephropathia epidemica, a European HFRS, was analysed to study the patient flow and clinical picture and to investigate the value of an early diagnosis in general practice. Design. In a retrospective design, medical records of verified cases of Hantavirus infection were studied. The study was conducted in the county of Norrbotten, Sweden. Data from Hantavirus patients diagnosed between 2006 and 2008 were analysed. Demographic data, level of care, treatment, clinical symptoms, and laboratory findings were obtained. In total, 456 cases were included (58% males and 42% females). The majority of patients first saw their general practitioner and were exclusively treated in general practice (83% and 56%, respectively). When diagnosed correctly at the first visit, antibiotics and hospitalization were significantly lowered compared with delayed diagnosis (14% vs. 53% and 30% vs. 54%, respectively; p < 0.0001). The clinical picture was diverse. Early thrombocytopenia was found in 65% of the patients, and haemorrhagic manifestations were documented in a few cases. Signs of renal involvement--haematuria, proteinuria, and raised levels of serum creatinine--were found in a majority of patients. Raised awareness in general practice regarding emerging infections and better diagnostic tools are desirable. This study of a Hantavirus outbreak shows that general practitioners are frontline doctors during outbreaks and through early and correct diagnosis they can reduce antibiotic treatment and hospitalization.

  16. Landscape, Environmental and Social Predictors of Hantavirus Risk in São Paulo, Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Uriarte, Maria; Tambosi, Leandro Reverberi; Prado, Amanda; Pardini, Renata; D´Andrea, Paulo Sérgio; Metzger, Jean Paul

    2016-01-01

    Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) is a disease caused by Hantavirus, which are negative-sense RNA viruses in the family Bunyaviridae that are highly virulent to humans. Numerous factors modify risk of Hantavirus transmission and consequent HPS risk. Human-driven landscape change can foster transmission risk by increasing numbers of habitat generalist rodent species that serve as the principal reservoir host. Climate can also affect rodent population dynamics and Hantavirus survival, and a number of social factors can influence probability of HPS transmission to humans. Evaluating contributions of these factors to HPS risk may enable predictions of future outbreaks, and is critical to development of effective public health strategies. Here we rely on a Bayesian model to quantify associations between annual HPS incidence across the state of São Paulo, Brazil (1993–2012) and climate variables (annual precipitation, annual mean temperature), landscape structure metrics (proportion of native habitat cover, number of forest fragments, proportion of area planted with sugarcane), and social factors (number of men older than 14 years and Human Development Index). We built separate models for the main two biomes of the state (cerrado and Atlantic forest). In both biomes Hantavirus risk increased with proportion of land cultivated for sugarcane and HDI, but proportion of forest cover, annual mean temperature, and population at risk also showed positive relationships in the Atlantic forest. Our analysis provides the first evidence that social, landscape, and climate factors are associated with HPS incidence in the Neotropics. Our risk map can be used to support the adoption of preventive measures and optimize the allocation of resources to avoid disease propagation, especially in municipalities that show medium to high HPS risk (> 5% of risk), and aimed at sugarcane workers, minimizing the risk of future HPS outbreaks. PMID:27780250

  17. Twenty years of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Brazil: a review of epidemiological and clinical aspects.

    PubMed

    Pinto Junior, Vitor Laerte; Hamidad, Amani Moura; Albuquerque Filho, Dalcy de Oliveira; dos Santos, Vitorino Modesto

    2014-02-13

    Hantavirus infection is transmitted to humans by wild rodents and the most common clinical form in Brazil is the Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). The first serological evidence of the disease was identified in 1990, in Recife, Pernambuco State, and later in 1993 in Juquitiba, State of São Paulo. Since then there has been a progressive increase in case notification in all regions of the country. The clinical aspects of the disease in Brazil are characterized by a prodromal phase, with nonspecific signs and symptoms of an acute febrile illness. After about three days, respiratory distress develops, accompanied by dry cough that turns progressively productive, evolving to dyspnea and respiratory failure with cardiogenic shock. Although the majority of patients receive hospital care in intensive care therapy units, case-fatality rate in Brazil ranges from 33% to 100% depending on the region. Besides it has to be added the problem of differential diagnosis with other prevalent diseases in the country, like dengue and leptospirosis. Questions about the impact of uncontrolled urbanization and other environmental changes caused by human action have been raised. Due to increasing incidence and high case-fatality, there is an urge to respond to such questions to recommend preventative measures. This article aims to review the main acquisitions in clinical and epidemiological knowledge about HPS in Brazil in the last twenty years.

  18. Molecular phylogeny of a genetically divergent hantavirus harbored by the Geoffroy's rousette (Rousettus amplexicaudatus), a frugivorous bat species in the Philippines.

    PubMed

    Arai, Satoru; Taniguchi, Satoshi; Aoki, Keita; Yoshikawa, Yasuhiro; Kyuwa, Shigeru; Tanaka-Taya, Keiko; Masangkay, Joseph S; Omatsu, Tsutomu; Puentespina, Roberto; Watanabe, Shumpei; Alviola, Phillip; Alvarez, James; Eres, Eduardo; Cosico, Edison; Quibod, Ma Niña Regina M; Morikawa, Shigeru; Yanagihara, Richard; Oishi, Kazunori

    2016-11-01

    The recent discovery of genetically distinct hantaviruses in multiple species of shrews and moles (order Eulipotyphla, families Soricidae and Talpidae) prompted a further exploration of their host diversification and geographic distribution by analyzing lung tissues from 376 fruit bats representing six genera (order Chiroptera, suborder Yinpterochiroptera, family Pteropodidae), collected in the Republic of the Philippines during 2008 to 2013. Hantavirus RNA was detected by RT-PCR in one of 15 Geoffroy's rousettes (Rousettus amplexicaudatus), captured in Quezon Memorial National Park on Luzon Island in 2009. Phylogenetic analyses of the S, M and L segments, using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods, showed that the newfound hantavirus, designated Quezon virus (QZNV), shared a common ancestry with hantaviruses hosted by insectivorous bats, in keeping with their evolutionary relationships and suggests that ancestral bats may have served as the early or original mammalian hosts of primordial hantaviruses. As the first hantavirus detected in a megabat or flying fox species, QZNV extends our knowledge about the reservoir host range. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Landscape, Climate and Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome Outbreaks.

    PubMed

    Prist, Paula Ribeiro; D Andrea, Paulo Sérgio; Metzger, Jean Paul

    2017-09-01

    We performed a literature review in order to improve our understanding of how landscape and climate drivers affect HCPS outbreaks. Anthropogenic landscape changes such as forest loss, fragmentation and agricultural land uses are related with a boost in hantavirus reservoir species abundance and hantavirus prevalence in tropical areas, increasing HCPS risk. Additionally, higher precipitation, especially in arid regions, favors an increase in vegetational biomass, which augments the resources for reservoir rodents, also increasing HCPS risk. Although these relationships were observed, few studies described it so far, and the ones that did it are concentrated in few places. To guide future research on this issue, we build a conceptual model relating landscape and climate variables with HCPS outbreaks and identified research opportunities. We point out the need for studies addressing the effects of landscape configuration, temperature and the interaction between climate and landscape variables. Critical landscape thresholds are also highly relevant, once HCPS risk transmission can increase rapidly above a certain degree of landscape degradation. These studies could be relevant to implement preventive measures, creating landscapes that can mitigate disease spread risk.

  20. Neutrophil Depletion Suppresses Pulmonary Vascular Hyperpermeability and Occurrence of Pulmonary Edema Caused by Hantavirus Infection in C.B-17 SCID Mice

    PubMed Central

    Koma, Takaaki; Yoshimatsu, Kumiko; Nagata, Noriyo; Sato, Yuko; Shimizu, Kenta; Yasuda, Shumpei P.; Amada, Takako; Nishio, Sanae; Hasegawa, Hideki

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Hantavirus infections are characterized by vascular hyperpermeability and neutrophilia. However, the pathogenesis of this disease is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that pulmonary vascular permeability is increased by Hantaan virus infection and results in the development of pulmonary edema in C.B-17 severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice lacking functional T cells and B cells. Increases in neutrophils in the lung and blood were observed when pulmonary edema began to be observed in the infected SCID mice. The occurrence of pulmonary edema was inhibited by neutrophil depletion. Moreover, the pulmonary vascular permeability was also significantly suppressed by neutrophil depletion in the infected mice. Taken together, the results suggest that neutrophils play an important role in pulmonary vascular hyperpermeability and the occurrence of pulmonary edema after hantavirus infection in SCID mice. IMPORTANCE Although hantavirus infections are characterized by the occurrence of pulmonary edema, the pathogenic mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time in vivo that hantavirus infection increases pulmonary vascular permeability and results in the development of pulmonary edema in SCID mice. This novel mouse model for human hantavirus infection will be a valuable tool and will contribute to elucidation of the pathogenetic mechanisms. Although the involvement of neutrophils in the pathogenesis of hantavirus infection has largely been ignored, the results of this study using the mouse model suggest that neutrophils are involved in the vascular hyperpermeability and development of pulmonary edema in hantavirus infection. Further study of the mechanisms could lead to the development of specific treatment for hantavirus infection. PMID:24719427

  1. [Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (Rio Mamore virus) in the Peruvian Amazon region].

    PubMed

    Casapía, Martín; Mamani, Enrique; García, María P; Miraval, María L; Valencia, Pedro; Quino, Alberto H; Alvarez, Carlos; Donaires, Luis F

    2012-01-01

    Hantavirus infection is a viral zoonotic infection borne by rodents which most letal form clinical is the Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (SPH, Spanish abbreviation). The Mamore River variant originates in South America and was found in rodents without any association to human diseases. Two cases of SPH were identified in the Peruvian Amazon region in November 2011. In both cases, a molecular diagnostic testing was conducted by the Instituto Nacional de Salud from Peru. A phylogenetic analysis of a viral genome fragment and a histopathological evaluation were conducted. Both patients developed adult respiratory distress syndrome and refractory shock. A patient died and another one recovered 12 days later.

  2. Person-to-Person Household and Nosocomial Transmission of Andes Hantavirus, Southern Chile, 2011

    PubMed Central

    Martinez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Calvo, Mario; Vial, Cecilia; Mansilla, Rita; Marco, Claudia; Palma, R. Eduardo; Vial, Pablo A.; Valdivieso, Francisca; Mertz, Gregory

    2014-01-01

    Andes hantavirus (ANDV) causes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in Chile and is the only hantavirus for which person-to-person transmission has been proven. We describe an outbreak of 5 human cases of ANDV infection in which symptoms developed in 2 household contacts and 2 health care workers after exposure to the index case-patient. Results of an epidemiologic investigation and sequence analysis of the virus isolates support person-to-person transmission of ANDV for the 4 secondary case-patients, including nosocomial transmission for the 2 health care workers. Health care personnel who have direct contact with ANDV case-patients or their body fluids should take precautions to prevent transmission of the virus. In addition, because the incubation period of ANDV after environmental exposure is longer than that for person-to-person exposure, all persons exposed to a confirmed ANDV case-patient or with possible environmental exposure to the virus should be monitored for 42 days for clinical symptoms. PMID:25272189

  3. The adaptive immune response does not influence hantavirus disease or persistence in the Syrian hamster

    PubMed Central

    Prescott, Joseph; Safronetz, David; Haddock, Elaine; Robertson, Shelly; Scott, Dana; Feldmann, Heinz

    2013-01-01

    Pathogenic New World hantaviruses cause severe disease in humans characterized by a vascular leak syndrome, leading to pulmonary oedema and respiratory distress with case fatality rates approaching 40%. Hantaviruses infect microvascular endothelial cells without conspicuous cytopathic effects, indicating that destruction of the endothelium is not a mechanism of disease. In humans, high levels of inflammatory cytokines are present in the lungs of patients that succumb to infection. This, along with other observations, suggests that disease has an immunopathogenic component. Currently the only animal model available to study hantavirus disease is the Syrian hamster, where infection with Andes virus (ANDV), the primary agent of disease in South America, results in disease that closely mimics that seen in humans. Conversely, inoculation of hamsters with a passaged Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the virus responsible for most cases of disease in North America, results in persistent infection with high levels of viral replication. We found that ANDV elicited a stronger innate immune response, whereas SNV elicited a more robust adaptive response in the lung. Additionally, ANDV infection resulted in significant changes in the blood lymphocyte populations. To determine whether the adaptive immune response influences infection outcome, we depleted hamsters of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells before infection with hantaviruses. Depletion resulted in inhibition of virus-specific antibody responses, although the pathogenesis and replication of these viruses were unaltered. These data show that neither hantavirus replication, nor pathogenesis caused by these viruses, is influenced by the adaptive immune response in the Syrian hamster. PMID:23600567

  4. Urbanization prolongs hantavirus epidemics in cities.

    PubMed

    Tian, Huaiyu; Hu, Shixiong; Cazelles, Bernard; Chowell, Gerardo; Gao, Lidong; Laine, Marko; Li, Yapin; Yang, Huisuo; Li, Yidan; Yang, Qiqi; Tong, Xin; Huang, Ru; Bjornstad, Ottar N; Xiao, Hong; Stenseth, Nils Chr

    2018-05-01

    Urbanization and rural-urban migration are two factors driving global patterns of disease and mortality. There is significant concern about their potential impact on disease burden and the effectiveness of current control approaches. Few attempts have been made to increase our understanding of the relationship between urbanization and disease dynamics, although it is generally believed that urban living has contributed to reductions in communicable disease burden in industrialized countries. To investigate this relationship, we carried out spatiotemporal analyses using a 48-year-long dataset of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome incidence (HFRS; mainly caused by two serotypes of hantavirus in China: Hantaan virus and Seoul virus) and population movements in an important endemic area of south China during the period 1963-2010. Our findings indicate that epidemics coincide with urbanization, geographic expansion, and migrant movement over time. We found a biphasic inverted U-shaped relationship between HFRS incidence and urbanization, with various endemic turning points associated with economic growth rates in cities. Our results revealed the interrelatedness of urbanization, migration, and hantavirus epidemiology, potentially explaining why urbanizing cities with high economic growth exhibit extended epidemics. Our results also highlight contrasting effects of urbanization on zoonotic disease outbreaks during periods of economic development in China. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  5. Urbanization prolongs hantavirus epidemics in cities

    PubMed Central

    Tian, Huaiyu; Hu, Shixiong; Chowell, Gerardo; Gao, Lidong; Li, Yapin; Yang, Huisuo; Li, Yidan; Yang, Qiqi; Tong, Xin; Huang, Ru; Bjornstad, Ottar N.; Xiao, Hong; Stenseth, Nils Chr.

    2018-01-01

    Urbanization and rural–urban migration are two factors driving global patterns of disease and mortality. There is significant concern about their potential impact on disease burden and the effectiveness of current control approaches. Few attempts have been made to increase our understanding of the relationship between urbanization and disease dynamics, although it is generally believed that urban living has contributed to reductions in communicable disease burden in industrialized countries. To investigate this relationship, we carried out spatiotemporal analyses using a 48-year-long dataset of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome incidence (HFRS; mainly caused by two serotypes of hantavirus in China: Hantaan virus and Seoul virus) and population movements in an important endemic area of south China during the period 1963–2010. Our findings indicate that epidemics coincide with urbanization, geographic expansion, and migrant movement over time. We found a biphasic inverted U-shaped relationship between HFRS incidence and urbanization, with various endemic turning points associated with economic growth rates in cities. Our results revealed the interrelatedness of urbanization, migration, and hantavirus epidemiology, potentially explaining why urbanizing cities with high economic growth exhibit extended epidemics. Our results also highlight contrasting effects of urbanization on zoonotic disease outbreaks during periods of economic development in China. PMID:29666240

  6. Long-term persistence of anti-hantavirus antibodies in sera of patients undergoing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and subjects vaccinated against the disease.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Yuan; Wei, Jing; Zhou, Bu-Yu; Xu, Yi; Dong, Jian-Hua; Guan, Lu-Yuan; Ma, Ping; Yu, Peng-Bo; Wang, Jing-Jun

    2016-04-01

    Background China has the highest prevalence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and accounts for 90% of the total cases worldwide. However, the long-term persistence of anti-hantavirus antibodies in sera of patients with HFRS and subjects vaccinated against the disease remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of anti-hantavirus IgG antibodies in sera of patients with prior HFRS, versus subjects vaccinated against the disease and controls in Shaanxi, China. Methods Six hundred individuals were included in this study. We quantified anti-hantavirus IgG antibodies in HFRS patients (n = 100), vaccinees (n = 200), controls from endemic regions (n = 200), and controls from non-endemic regions (n = 100) in China. Results The median optical density (OD) values (range) were 0.803 (0.008-1.813), 0.075 (0.004-1.565), 0.026 (0-1.179), and 0.015 (0.009-0.118) for HFRS patients, vaccinated subjects, endemic controls, and non-endemic controls, respectively. There was a strikingly significant difference between the HFRS group and each non-HFRS group (p < 0.001). The vaccinated subjects were also significantly different from the endemic controls. The time since the acute phase was correlated with the OD values of the HFRS patients. Conclusions Our study suggests that HFRS patients gain long-lasting protection and that vaccination may be an effective way to stimulate antibody production.

  7. Reporting Hantavirus: A Study of Intercultural Environmental Journalism.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Valenti, JoAnn M.

    A study examined media coverage of hantavirus in three Southwestern regional newspapers, including interviews with journalists and sources involved in the coverage, and implications of the media's portrayal of Navajo culture. Content review of regional coverage--67 articles in three regional newspapers were reviewed in the first year of a new…

  8. Complete Genome Sequence of a Novel Hantavirus Variant of Rio Mamoré Virus, Maripa Virus, from French Guiana

    PubMed Central

    Matheus, Séverine; Lavergne, Anne; de Thoisy, Benoît; Dussart, Philippe

    2012-01-01

    We report the first complete genome sequence of Maripa virus identified in 2009 from a patient with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in French Guiana. Maripa virus corresponds to a new variant of the Rio Mamoré virus species in the Bunyaviridae family, genus Hantavirus. PMID:22492924

  9. The adaptive immune response does not influence hantavirus disease or persistence in the Syrian hamster.

    PubMed

    Prescott, Joseph; Safronetz, David; Haddock, Elaine; Robertson, Shelly; Scott, Dana; Feldmann, Heinz

    2013-10-01

    Pathogenic New World hantaviruses cause severe disease in humans characterized by a vascular leak syndrome, leading to pulmonary oedema and respiratory distress with case fatality rates approaching 40%. Hantaviruses infect microvascular endothelial cells without conspicuous cytopathic effects, indicating that destruction of the endothelium is not a mechanism of disease. In humans, high levels of inflammatory cytokines are present in the lungs of patients that succumb to infection. This, along with other observations, suggests that disease has an immunopathogenic component. Currently the only animal model available to study hantavirus disease is the Syrian hamster, where infection with Andes virus (ANDV), the primary agent of disease in South America, results in disease that closely mimics that seen in humans. Conversely, inoculation of hamsters with a passaged Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the virus responsible for most cases of disease in North America, results in persistent infection with high levels of viral replication. We found that ANDV elicited a stronger innate immune response, whereas SNV elicited a more robust adaptive response in the lung. Additionally, ANDV infection resulted in significant changes in the blood lymphocyte populations. To determine whether the adaptive immune response influences infection outcome, we depleted hamsters of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells before infection with hantaviruses. Depletion resulted in inhibition of virus-specific antibody responses, although the pathogenesis and replication of these viruses were unaltered. These data show that neither hantavirus replication, nor pathogenesis caused by these viruses, is influenced by the adaptive immune response in the Syrian hamster. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

  10. Mechanistic Insight into Bunyavirus-Induced Membrane Fusion from Structure-Function Analyses of the Hantavirus Envelope Glycoprotein Gc

    PubMed Central

    Stettner, Eva; Jeffers, Scott Allen; Pérez-Vargas, Jimena; Pehau-Arnaudet, Gerard; Tortorici, M. Alejandra; Jestin, Jean-Luc; England, Patrick; Tischler, Nicole D.; Rey, Félix A.

    2016-01-01

    Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses transmitted to humans by persistently infected rodents, giving rise to serious outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), depending on the virus, which are associated with high case fatality rates. There is only limited knowledge about the organization of the viral particles and in particular, about the hantavirus membrane fusion glycoprotein Gc, the function of which is essential for virus entry. We describe here the X-ray structures of Gc from Hantaan virus, the type species hantavirus and responsible for HFRS, both in its neutral pH, monomeric pre-fusion conformation, and in its acidic pH, trimeric post-fusion form. The structures confirm the prediction that Gc is a class II fusion protein, containing the characteristic β-sheet rich domains termed I, II and III as initially identified in the fusion proteins of arboviruses such as alpha- and flaviviruses. The structures also show a number of features of Gc that are distinct from arbovirus class II proteins. In particular, hantavirus Gc inserts residues from three different loops into the target membrane to drive fusion, as confirmed functionally by structure-guided mutagenesis on the HPS-inducing Andes virus, instead of having a single “fusion loop”. We further show that the membrane interacting region of Gc becomes structured only at acidic pH via a set of polar and electrostatic interactions. Furthermore, the structure reveals that hantavirus Gc has an additional N-terminal “tail” that is crucial in stabilizing the post-fusion trimer, accompanying the swapping of domain III in the quaternary arrangement of the trimer as compared to the standard class II fusion proteins. The mechanistic understandings derived from these data are likely to provide a unique handle for devising treatments against these human pathogens. PMID:27783711

  11. Mechanistic Insight into Bunyavirus-Induced Membrane Fusion from Structure-Function Analyses of the Hantavirus Envelope Glycoprotein Gc.

    PubMed

    Guardado-Calvo, Pablo; Bignon, Eduardo A; Stettner, Eva; Jeffers, Scott Allen; Pérez-Vargas, Jimena; Pehau-Arnaudet, Gerard; Tortorici, M Alejandra; Jestin, Jean-Luc; England, Patrick; Tischler, Nicole D; Rey, Félix A

    2016-10-01

    Hantaviruses are zoonotic viruses transmitted to humans by persistently infected rodents, giving rise to serious outbreaks of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), depending on the virus, which are associated with high case fatality rates. There is only limited knowledge about the organization of the viral particles and in particular, about the hantavirus membrane fusion glycoprotein Gc, the function of which is essential for virus entry. We describe here the X-ray structures of Gc from Hantaan virus, the type species hantavirus and responsible for HFRS, both in its neutral pH, monomeric pre-fusion conformation, and in its acidic pH, trimeric post-fusion form. The structures confirm the prediction that Gc is a class II fusion protein, containing the characteristic β-sheet rich domains termed I, II and III as initially identified in the fusion proteins of arboviruses such as alpha- and flaviviruses. The structures also show a number of features of Gc that are distinct from arbovirus class II proteins. In particular, hantavirus Gc inserts residues from three different loops into the target membrane to drive fusion, as confirmed functionally by structure-guided mutagenesis on the HPS-inducing Andes virus, instead of having a single "fusion loop". We further show that the membrane interacting region of Gc becomes structured only at acidic pH via a set of polar and electrostatic interactions. Furthermore, the structure reveals that hantavirus Gc has an additional N-terminal "tail" that is crucial in stabilizing the post-fusion trimer, accompanying the swapping of domain III in the quaternary arrangement of the trimer as compared to the standard class II fusion proteins. The mechanistic understandings derived from these data are likely to provide a unique handle for devising treatments against these human pathogens.

  12. High prevalence of Seoul hantavirus in a breeding colony of pet rats.

    PubMed

    McELHINNEY, L M; Marston, D A; Pounder, K C; Goharriz, H; Wise, E L; Verner-Carlsson, J; Jennings, D; Johnson, N; Civello, A; Nunez, A; Brooks, T; Breed, A C; Lawes, J; Lundkvist, Å; Featherstone, C A; Fooks, A R

    2017-11-01

    As part of further investigations into three linked haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) cases in Wales and England, 21 rats from a breeding colony in Cherwell, and three rats from a household in Cheltenham were screened for hantavirus. Hantavirus RNA was detected in either the lungs and/or kidney of 17/21 (81%) of the Cherwell rats tested, higher than previously detected by blood testing alone (7/21, 33%), and in the kidneys of all three Cheltenham rats. The partial L gene sequences obtained from 10 of the Cherwell rats and the three Cheltenham rats were identical to each other and the previously reported UK Cherwell strain. Seoul hantavirus (SEOV) RNA was detected in the heart, kidney, lung, salivary gland and spleen (but not in the liver) of an individual rat from the Cherwell colony suspected of being the source of SEOV. Serum from 20/20 of the Cherwell rats and two associated HFRS cases had high levels of SEOV-specific antibodies (by virus neutralisation). The high prevalence of SEOV in both sites and the moderately severe disease in the pet rat owners suggest that SEOV in pet rats poses a greater public health risk than previously considered.

  13. Laguna Negra Virus Infection Causes Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Turkish Hamsters (Mesocricetus brandti).

    PubMed

    Hardcastle, K; Scott, D; Safronetz, D; Brining, D L; Ebihara, H; Feldmann, H; LaCasse, R A

    2016-01-01

    Laguna Negra virus (LNV) is a New World hantavirus associated with severe and often fatal cardiopulmonary disease in humans, known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Five hamster species were evaluated for clinical and serologic responses following inoculation with 4 hantaviruses. Of the 5 hamster species, only Turkish hamsters infected with LNV demonstrated signs consistent with HPS and a fatality rate of 43%. Clinical manifestations in infected animals that succumbed to disease included severe and rapid onset of dyspnea, weight loss, leukopenia, and reduced thrombocyte numbers as compared to uninfected controls. Histopathologic examination revealed lung lesions that resemble the hallmarks of HPS in humans, including interstitial pneumonia and pulmonary edema, as well as generalized infection of endothelial cells and macrophages in major organ tissues. Histologic lesions corresponded to the presence of viral antigen in affected tissues. To date, there have been no small animal models available to study LNV infection and pathogenesis. The Turkish hamster model of LNV infection may be important in the study of LNV-induced HPS pathogenesis and development of disease treatment and prevention strategies. © The Author(s) 2015.

  14. Species Identity Supersedes the Dilution Effect Concerning Hantavirus Prevalence at Sites across Texas and México.

    PubMed

    Milholland, Matthew T; Castro-Arellano, Iván; Arellano, Elizabeth; Nava-García, Elizabeth; Rangel-Altamirano, Guadalupe; Gonzalez-Cozatl, Francisco X; Suzán, Gerardo; Schountz, Tony; González-Padrón, Shiara; Vigueras, Ana; Rubio, André V; Maikis, Troy J; Westrich, Bradford J; Martinez, Jose A; Esteve-Gassent, Maria D; Torres, Madison; Rodriguez-Ruiz, Erick R; Hahn, Dittmar; Lacher, Thomas E

    2017-12-15

    Recent models suggest a relationship exists between community diversity and pathogen prevalence, the proportion of individuals in a population that are infected by a pathogen, with most inferences tied to assemblage structure. Two contrasting outcomes of this relationship have been proposed: the "dilution effect" and the "amplification effect." Small mammal assemblage structure in disturbed habitats often differs from assemblages in sylvan environments, and hantavirus prevalence is often negatively correlated with habitats containing high species diversity via dilution effect dynamics. As species richness increases, prevalence of infection often is decreased. However, anthropogenic changes to sylvan landscapes have been shown to decrease species richness and/or increase phylogenetic similarities within assemblages. Between January 2011 and January 2016, we captured and tested 2406 individual small mammals for hantavirus antibodies at 20 sites across Texas and México and compared differences in hantavirus seroprevalence, species composition, and assemblage structure between sylvan and disturbed habitats. We found 313 small mammals positive for antibodies against hantaviruses, evincing an overall prevalence of 9.7% across all sites. In total, 40 species of small mammals were identified comprising 2 taxonomic orders (Rodentia and Eulipotyphla). By sampling both habitat types concurrently, we were able to make real-world inferences into the efficacy of dilution effect theory in terms of hantavirus ecology. Our hypothesis predicting greater species richness higher in sylvan habitats compared to disturbed areas was not supported, suggesting the characteristics of assemblage structure do not adhere to current conceptions of species richness negatively influencing prevalence via a dilution effect.

  15. Old World Hantaviruses in Rodents in New Orleans, Louisiana

    PubMed Central

    Cross, Robert W.; Waffa, Bradley; Freeman, Ashley; Riegel, Claudia; Moses, Lina M.; Bennett, Andrew; Safronetz, David; Fischer, Elizabeth R.; Feldmann, Heinz; Voss, Thomas G.; Bausch, Daniel G.

    2014-01-01

    Seoul virus, an Old World hantavirus, is maintained in brown rats and causes a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in humans. We captured rodents in New Orleans, Louisiana and tested them for the presence of Old World hantaviruses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with sequencing, cell culture, and electron microscopy; 6 (3.4%) of 178 rodents captured—all brown rats—were positive for a Seoul virus variant previously coined Tchoupitoulas virus, which was noted in rodents in New Orleans in the 1980s. The finding of Tchoupitoulas virus in New Orleans over 25 years since its first discovery suggests stable endemicity in the city. Although the degree to which this virus causes human infection and disease remains unknown, repeated demonstration of Seoul virus in rodent populations, recent cases of laboratory-confirmed HFRS in some US cities, and a possible link with hypertensive renal disease warrant additional investigation in both rodents and humans. PMID:24639295

  16. Old World hantaviruses in rodents in New Orleans, Louisiana.

    PubMed

    Cross, Robert W; Waffa, Bradley; Freeman, Ashley; Riegel, Claudia; Moses, Lina M; Bennett, Andrew; Safronetz, David; Fischer, Elizabeth R; Feldmann, Heinz; Voss, Thomas G; Bausch, Daniel G

    2014-05-01

    Seoul virus, an Old World hantavirus, is maintained in brown rats and causes a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in humans. We captured rodents in New Orleans, Louisiana and tested them for the presence of Old World hantaviruses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with sequencing, cell culture, and electron microscopy; 6 (3.4%) of 178 rodents captured--all brown rats--were positive for a Seoul virus variant previously coined Tchoupitoulas virus, which was noted in rodents in New Orleans in the 1980s. The finding of Tchoupitoulas virus in New Orleans over 25 years since its first discovery suggests stable endemicity in the city. Although the degree to which this virus causes human infection and disease remains unknown, repeated demonstration of Seoul virus in rodent populations, recent cases of laboratory-confirmed HFRS in some US cities, and a possible link with hypertensive renal disease warrant additional investigation in both rodents and humans.

  17. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding hantavirus disease and acceptance of a vaccine trial in rural communities of southern Chile.

    PubMed

    Valdivieso, Francisca; Gonzalez, Claudia; Najera, Manuel; Olea, Andrea; Cuiza, Analia; Aguilera, Ximena; Mertz, Gregory

    2017-04-03

    Andes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, transmitted by Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, has no approved treatment, a case fatality rate of 35%, and documented person-to-person transmission. An Andes vaccine, highly needed for prevention, is in development. We aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding hantavirus disease and willingness to participate in a future Andes vaccine trials through a cross sectional face-to-face oral survey of a randomly selected adult sample from 2 rural communes in southern Chile. Human subjects approval was obtained from our institutional IRBs, and participants signed informed consent. We enrolled 319 subjects from Corral and 321 from Curarrehue; 98% had heard about hantavirus disease and its reservoir but only half knew about transmission, symptoms and prevention. Participants fear the disease but are only partially aware of their own risk. One third of participants reported presence of rodents inside their homes. Despite moderate confidence in their health system, most subjects perceived vaccines as beneficial, and 93% would accept an approved hantavirus vaccine. Half would agree to participate in a vaccine trial and 29% would allow their children to participate. Motivations to participate were mainly altruistic, while risk perception was the main reason for declining. Knowledge about hantavirus disease and prevention practices require reinforcement, and a vaccine trial seems feasible in these populations.

  18. Temporal and spatial host abundance and prevalence of Andes hantavirus in southern Argentina.

    PubMed

    Polop, Francisco J; Provensal, María C; Pini, Noemí; Levis, Silvana C; Priotto, José W; Enría, Delia; Calderón, Gladys E; Costa, Federico; Polop, Jaime J

    2010-06-01

    Andes virus (AND) is a hantavirus hosted by the sigmodontine rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus in southern Argentina, where it is responsible for most cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Our study provides data about the spatial variation in abundance of the rodent host of AND hantavirus. We report results of a longitudinal study performed in a locality of the Andean region of Chubut Province. From November 2003 (spring) to July 2006 (winter), O. longicaudatus was the most common species captured (63%) and it showed significant differences in abundance among habitats and seasons. Most antibody-positive rodents were O. longicaudatus (9.2%), followed by A. longipilis (3.6%) and A. olivaceus (1.5%). The highest number of antibody-positive animals was observed for males that belonged to the heaviest mass classes. Antibody-positive O. longicaudatus were more abundant in brush habitats. We found low richness of rodents and abundance of O. longicaudatus in areas affected by anthropogenic activity. The infection seems to be regionally persistent, but the risk to humans in a landscape would be localized. To develop accurate models for predicting HPS outbreaks, further research is needed to characterize rodent movement patterns across the landscape.

  19. Maripa Hantavirus in French Guiana: Phylogenetic Position and Predicted Spatial Distribution of Rodent Hosts

    PubMed Central

    de Thoisy, Benoît; Matheus, Séverine; Catzeflis, François; Clément, Luc; Barrioz, Sébastien; Guidez, Amandine; Donato, Damien; Cornu, Jean-François; Brunaux, Olivier; Guitet, Stéphane; Lacoste, Vincent; Lavergne, Anne

    2014-01-01

    A molecular screening of wild-caught rodents was conducted in French Guiana, South America to identify hosts of the hantavirus Maripa described in 2008 in a hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) case. Over a 9-year period, 418 echimyids and murids were captured. Viral RNA was detected in two sigmodontine rodents, Oligoryzomys fulvescens and Zygodontomys brevicauda, trapped close to the house of a second HPS case that occurred in 2009 and an O. fulvescens close to the fourth HPS case identified in 2013. Sequences from the rodents had 96% and 97% nucleotide identity (fragment of S and M segments, respectively) with the sequence of the first human HPS case. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on the complete sequence of the S segment show that Maripa virus is closely related to Rio Mamore hantavirus. Using environmental descriptors of trapping sites, including vegetation, landscape units, rain, and human disturbance, a maximal entropy-based species distribution model allowed for identification of areas of higher predicted occurrence of the two rodents, where emergence risks of Maripa virus are expected to be higher. PMID:24752689

  20. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Tucumán province associated to an unexpected viral genotype.

    PubMed

    Ciancaglini, Matías; Bellomo, Carla M; Torres Cabreros, Clara L; Alonso, Daniel; Bassi, Sabrina C; Iglesias, Ayelén A; Martínez, Valeria P

    2017-01-01

    We describe the characterization of the viral genotype involved in the first case of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome reported in Tucumán, a Northwestern province of Argentina. A 23-year-old woman, with no record of travel history and previously diagnosed with an antiphospholipid syndrome, died after 11 days of severe cardiopulmonary insufficiency. Among the four endemic regions of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Argentina, the Northwest Region has the highest incidence, exceeding 50% of all reported cases in the country. Until now, only Salta and Jujuy (2 out of the 6 provinces composing the Northwest Region), reported cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, all of which occurred in the Yungas Forest area. Remarkably, the viral genotype characterized in this case showed higher nucleotide identity with the Andes-BsAs genotype most prevalent in Buenos Aires province, located 1400 km apart from Tucumán, than with any of the commonly found genotypes in the Northwest Region. The Andes-BsAs genotype has been associated with 30% lethality and interhuman transmission in Buenos Aires province. Interhuman transmission cannot be ruled out in the present case.

  1. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding hantavirus disease and acceptance of a vaccine trial in rural communities of southern Chile

    PubMed Central

    Valdivieso, Francisca; Gonzalez, Claudia; Najera, Manuel; Olea, Andrea; Cuiza, Analia; Aguilera, Ximena; Mertz, Gregory

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Andes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, transmitted by Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, has no approved treatment, a case fatality rate of 35%, and documented person-to-person transmission. An Andes vaccine, highly needed for prevention, is in development. We aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding hantavirus disease and willingness to participate in a future Andes vaccine trials through a cross sectional face-to-face oral survey of a randomly selected adult sample from 2 rural communes in southern Chile. Human subjects approval was obtained from our institutional IRBs, and participants signed informed consent. We enrolled 319 subjects from Corral and 321 from Curarrehue; 98% had heard about hantavirus disease and its reservoir but only half knew about transmission, symptoms and prevention. Participants fear the disease but are only partially aware of their own risk. One third of participants reported presence of rodents inside their homes. Despite moderate confidence in their health system, most subjects perceived vaccines as beneficial, and 93% would accept an approved hantavirus vaccine. Half would agree to participate in a vaccine trial and 29% would allow their children to participate. Motivations to participate were mainly altruistic, while risk perception was the main reason for declining. Knowledge about hantavirus disease and prevention practices require reinforcement, and a vaccine trial seems feasible in these populations. PMID:27830976

  2. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome outbreak, Brazil, December 2009-January 2010.

    PubMed

    Terças, Ana Cláudia Pereira; Atanaka dos Santos, Marina; Pignatti, Marta Gislene; Espinosa, Mariano Martinez; Via, Alba Valéria Gomes de Melo; Menegatti, Jaqueline Aparecida

    2013-11-01

    An outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome occurred in the Sobradinho Indian settlement of the Kayabí ethnic group in northern Mato Grosso during December 2009-January 2010. We conducted a retrospective study to clarify the outbreak's epidemiologic and clinical characteristics. Results suggest a relationship between the outbreak and deforestation and farming expansion in indigenous areas.

  3. Epidemiology of hantavirus infection in Thousand Islands regency of Jakarta, Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Ibrahim, Ima-Nurisa; Shimizu, Kenta; Yoshimatsu, Kumiko; Yunianto, Andre; Salwati, Ervi; Yasuda, Shumpei P; Koma, Takaaki; Endo, Rika; Arikawa, Jiro

    2013-01-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent-borne zoonotic disease caused by hantavirus infection. Many HFRS cases have been reported in East Asia and North Europe, while the situation in Southeast Asia remains unclear. In this study, the prevalence of hantavirus infection in rodents and humans in Thousand Islands regency, which is close to the port of Jakarta, one of the largest historic ports in Indonesia, was investigated. A total of 170 rodents were captured in 2005, and 27 (15.9%) of the rodents were antibody-positive against Hantaan virus antigen in an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and Western blotting. Despite the high prevalence in rodents, human sera collected from 31 patients with fever of unknown origin and 20 healthy volunteers in the islands in 2009 did not show positive reaction to the antigen in IFA. To identify the virus in rodents genetically, a total of 59 rodents were captured in 2009. Sera from the rodents were screened for antibody by ELISA, and lung tissues were subjected to RT-PCR. 20 (33.9%) of the 59 rodents were antibody-positive, and 3 of those 20 rodents were positive for S and M genome segments of hantaviruses. Genetic analysis showed that the viruses belonged to Seoul virus and formed a cluster with those in Vietnam and Singapore. These results suggest that a unique group of Seoul viruses has spread widely in Southeast Asia.

  4. Using Geographic Information System-based Ecologic Niche Models to Forecast the Risk of Hantavirus Infection in Shandong Province, China

    PubMed Central

    Wei, Lan; Qian, Quan; Wang, Zhi-Qiang; Glass, Gregory E.; Song, Shao-Xia; Zhang, Wen-Yi; Li, Xiu-Jun; Yang, Hong; Wang, Xian-Jun; Fang, Li-Qun; Cao, Wu-Chun

    2011-01-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an important public health problem in Shandong Province, China. In this study, we combined ecologic niche modeling with geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques to identify the risk factors and affected areas of hantavirus infections in rodent hosts. Land cover and elevation were found to be closely associated with the presence of hantavirus-infected rodent hosts. The averaged area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.864, implying good performance. The predicted risk maps based on the model were validated both by the hantavirus-infected rodents' distribution and HFRS human case localities with a good fit. These findings have the applications for targeting control and prevention efforts. PMID:21363991

  5. Experimental Evidence for Reduced Rodent Diversity Causing Increased Hantavirus Prevalence

    PubMed Central

    Suzán, Gerardo; Marcé, Erika; Giermakowski, J. Tomasz; Mills, James N.; Ceballos, Gerardo; Ostfeld, Richard S.; Armién, Blas; Pascale, Juan M.; Yates, Terry L.

    2009-01-01

    Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases have become a major global environmental problem with important public health, economic, and political consequences. The etiologic agents of most emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, and anthropogenic environmental changes that affect wildlife communities are increasingly implicated in disease emergence and spread. Although increased disease incidence has been correlated with biodiversity loss for several zoonoses, experimental tests in these systems are lacking. We manipulated small-mammal biodiversity by removing non-reservoir species in replicated field plots in Panama, where zoonotic hantaviruses are endemic. Both infection prevalence of hantaviruses in wild reservoir (rodent) populations and reservoir population density increased where small-mammal species diversity was reduced. Regardless of other variables that affect the prevalence of directly transmitted infections in natural communities, high biodiversity is important in reducing transmission of zoonotic pathogens among wildlife hosts. Our results have wide applications in both conservation biology and infectious disease management. PMID:19421313

  6. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the Atlantic Argentinean Patagonia region.

    PubMed

    Baccaro, Fernando G; Rovasio, Jose Luis; Laguardia, Silvia; Framarini, Silvia

    2010-03-01

    The hantavirus causes a hemorrhagic disease and in 1993 was responsible for an outbreak of a pulmonary syndrome in the south of the United States of America. The disease is endemic in the north of Argentina where the Oran strain is prevalent. A fatal case of the Hanta Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) occurring in a migrant agricultural worker is reported.

  7. T cells are not required for pathogenesis in the Syrian hamster model of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Hammerbeck, Christopher D; Hooper, Jay W

    2011-10-01

    Andes virus (ANDV) is associated with a lethal vascular leak syndrome in humans termed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). In hamsters, ANDV causes a respiratory distress syndrome closely resembling human HPS. The mechanism for the massive vascular leakage associated with HPS is poorly understood; however, T cell immunopathology has been implicated on the basis of circumstantial and corollary evidence. Here, we show that following ANDV challenge, hamster T cell activation corresponds with the onset of disease. However, treatment with cyclophosphamide or specific T cell depletion does not impact the course of disease or alter the number of surviving animals, despite significant reductions in T cell number. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that T cells are not required for hantavirus pathogenesis in the hamster model of human HPS. Depletion of T cells from Syrian hamsters did not significantly influence early events in disease progression. Moreover, these data argue for a mechanism of hantavirus-induced vascular permeability that does not involve T cell immunopathology.

  8. Maripa hantavirus in French Guiana: phylogenetic position and predicted spatial distribution of rodent hosts.

    PubMed

    de Thoisy, Benoît; Matheus, Séverine; Catzeflis, François; Clément, Luc; Barrioz, Sébastien; Guidez, Amandine; Donato, Damien; Cornu, Jean-François; Brunaux, Olivier; Guitet, Stéphane; Lacoste, Vincent; Lavergne, Anne

    2014-06-01

    A molecular screening of wild-caught rodents was conducted in French Guiana, South America to identify hosts of the hantavirus Maripa described in 2008 in a hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) case. Over a 9-year period, 418 echimyids and murids were captured. Viral RNA was detected in two sigmodontine rodents, Oligoryzomys fulvescens and Zygodontomys brevicauda, trapped close to the house of a second HPS case that occurred in 2009 and an O. fulvescens close to the fourth HPS case identified in 2013. Sequences from the rodents had 96% and 97% nucleotide identity (fragment of S and M segments, respectively) with the sequence of the first human HPS case. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on the complete sequence of the S segment show that Maripa virus is closely related to Rio Mamore hantavirus. Using environmental descriptors of trapping sites, including vegetation, landscape units, rain, and human disturbance, a maximal entropy-based species distribution model allowed for identification of areas of higher predicted occurrence of the two rodents, where emergence risks of Maripa virus are expected to be higher. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  9. Human Herpesvirus 6 Infection Presenting as an Acute Febrile Illness Associated with Thrombocytopenia and Leukopenia

    PubMed Central

    Avšič-Županc, Tatjana; Uršič, Tina; Petrovec, Miroslav

    2016-01-01

    We present an infant with acute fever, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia, coming from an endemic region for tick-borne encephalitis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and hantavirus infection. The primary human herpesvirus 6 infection was diagnosed by seroconversion of specific IgM and IgG and by identification of viral DNA in the acute patient's serum. The patient did not show skin rash suggestive of exanthema subitum during the course of illness. PMID:27980872

  10. Distributional ecology of Andes hantavirus: a macroecological approach.

    PubMed

    Astorga, Francisca; Escobar, Luis E; Poo-Muñoz, Daniela; Escobar-Dodero, Joaquin; Rojas-Hucks, Sylvia; Alvarado-Rybak, Mario; Duclos, Melanie; Romero-Alvarez, Daniel; Molina-Burgos, Blanca E; Peñafiel-Ricaurte, Alexandra; Toro, Frederick; Peña-Gómez, Francisco T; Peterson, A Townsend

    2018-06-22

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an infection endemic in Chile and Argentina, caused by Andes hantavirus (ANDV). The rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus is suggested as the main reservoir, although several other species of Sigmodontinae are known hosts of ANDV. Here, we explore potential ANDV transmission risk to humans in southern South America, based on eco-epidemiological associations among: six rodent host species, seropositive rodents, and human HPS cases. We used ecological niche modeling and macroecological approaches to determine potential geographic distributions and assess environmental similarity among rodents and human HPS cases. Highest numbers of rodent species (five) were in Chile between 35° and 41°S latitude. Background similarity tests showed niche similarity in 14 of the 56 possible comparisons: similarity between human HPS cases and the background of all species and seropositive rodents was supported (except for Abrothrix sanborni). Of interest among the results is the likely role of O. longicaudatus, Loxodontomys micropus, Abrothrix olivaceus, and Abrothrix longipilis in HPS transmission to humans. Our results support a role of rodent species' distributions as a risk factor for human HPS at coarse scales, and suggest that the role of the main reservoir (O. longicaudatus) may be supported by the broader rodent host community in some areas.

  11. Serological Evidence of Hantavirus Infection in Apparently Healthy People from Rural and Slum Communities in Southern Chile

    PubMed Central

    Muñoz-Zanzi, Claudia; Saavedra, Farides; Otth, Carola; Domancich, Ljubica; Hott, Melissa; Padula, Paula

    2015-01-01

    Hantavirus disease in America has been recognizable because of its rapid progression in clinical cases, occurrence in previously healthy young adults, and high case fatality rate. Hantavirus disease has been proposed now to define the diversity of clinical manifestations. Since 1995, a total of 902 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome have been reported in Chile, caused by Andes virus (ANDV), with overall fatality of 32%. This report describes the sero-epidemiology of hantavirus in apparently healthy people in rural and urban slum communities from southern Chile. Ten of 934 samples yielded a positive result resulting in a seroprevalence of 1.07% (95% confidence intervals: 0.05%–2.0%). A higher proportion of positive samples was found among individuals from rural villages (1.3%) and slums (1.5%) compared with farms (0.5%). Seropositivity was associated with age (p = 0.011), low education level (p = 0.006) and occupations linked to the household (homemaker, retired, or student) (p = 0.016). No evidence of infection was found in 38 sigmodontinae rodents trapped in the peri-domestic environment. Our findings highlight that exposure risk was associated with less documented risk factors, such as women in slum and rural villages, and the occurrence of infection that may have presented as flu-like illness that did not require medical attention or was misdiagnosed. PMID:25912713

  12. Emerging Viruses in the Republic of Suriname: Retrospective and Prospective Study into Chikungunya Circulation and Suspicion of Human Hantavirus Infections, 2008-2012 and 2014.

    PubMed

    Goeijenbier, Marco; Aron, Georgina; Anfasa, Fatih; Lundkvist, Åke; Verner-Carlsson, Jenny; Reusken, Chantal B E M; Martina, Byron E E; van Gorp, Eric C M; Resida, Lesley

    2015-10-01

    Suriname is a country on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America. It is unique in the sense that different ethnic cultures live together within the country, resulting in high levels of transport of both humans and products between the Asian, African, and European continents as well as the Caribbean. Travel is only one of the many factors present in Suriname contributing to the risk for the emergence or introduction of any infectious disease. Recently, circulation of both chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and hantavirus was reported in areas neighboring Suriname. Here we report a retrospective and prospective study into chikungunya and hantavirus circulation. A chikungunya and hantavirus retrospective serological study was conducted on samples submitted for dengue, leptospirosis, and/or influenza virus diagnostics between 2008 and 2012 to the Bureau of Public Health in Suriname. This was followed by a prospective CHIKV serological and molecular surveillance study until the detection of the first autochthonous CHIKV cases in Suriname in May and June of 2014. None of the tested samples showed the presence of CHIKV antibodies in the retrospective serological study. Prospective testing of CHIKV-suspected patients resulted in the detection of the first autochthonous CHIKV cases in Suriname in May, 2015. In one sample, we were able to isolate and sequence the virus. Retrospective testing for the presence of hantavirus antibodies showed a relative high response in both pan-hantavirus enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence assay (IFA). However, neutralization tests did not yield any evidence for infection with either Seoul or Andes hantavirus. Here we report the presence of CHIKV in the republic of Suriname and the first serological indication of hantavirus infections in symptomatic patients.

  13. Hantavirus infection--southwestern United States: interim recommendations for risk reduction. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    PubMed

    Childs, J E; Kaufmann, A F; Peters, C J; Ehrenberg, R L

    1993-07-30

    This report provides interim recommendations for prevention and control of hantavirus infections associated with rodents in the southwestern United States. It is based on principles of rodent and infection control and contains specific recommendations for reducing rodent shelter and food sources in and around the home, recommendations for eliminating rodents inside the home and preventing them from entering the home, precautions for preventing hantavirus infection while rodent-contaminated areas are being cleaned up, prevention measures for persons who have occupational exposure to wild rodents, and precautions for campers and hikers.

  14. T Cells Are Not Required for Pathogenesis in the Syrian Hamster Model of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome ▿

    PubMed Central

    Hammerbeck, Christopher D.; Hooper, Jay W.

    2011-01-01

    Andes virus (ANDV) is associated with a lethal vascular leak syndrome in humans termed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). In hamsters, ANDV causes a respiratory distress syndrome closely resembling human HPS. The mechanism for the massive vascular leakage associated with HPS is poorly understood; however, T cell immunopathology has been implicated on the basis of circumstantial and corollary evidence. Here, we show that following ANDV challenge, hamster T cell activation corresponds with the onset of disease. However, treatment with cyclophosphamide or specific T cell depletion does not impact the course of disease or alter the number of surviving animals, despite significant reductions in T cell number. These data demonstrate, for the first time, that T cells are not required for hantavirus pathogenesis in the hamster model of human HPS. Depletion of T cells from Syrian hamsters did not significantly influence early events in disease progression. Moreover, these data argue for a mechanism of hantavirus-induced vascular permeability that does not involve T cell immunopathology. PMID:21775442

  15. Immunogenetic Factors Affecting Susceptibility of Humans and Rodents to Hantaviruses and the Clinical Course of Hantaviral Disease in Humans

    PubMed Central

    Charbonnel, Nathalie; Pagès, Marie; Sironen, Tarja; Henttonen, Heikki; Vapalahti, Olli; Mustonen, Jukka; Vaheri, Antti

    2014-01-01

    We reviewed the associations of immunity-related genes with susceptibility of humans and rodents to hantaviruses, and with severity of hantaviral diseases in humans. Several class I and class II HLA haplotypes were linked with severe or benign hantavirus infections, and these haplotypes varied among localities and hantaviruses. The polymorphism of other immunity-related genes including the C4A gene and a high-producing genotype of TNF gene associated with severe PUUV infection. Additional genes that may contribute to disease or to PUUV infection severity include non-carriage of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) allele 2 and IL-1β (-511) allele 2, polymorphisms of plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and platelet GP1a. In addition, immunogenetic studies have been conducted to identify mechanisms that could be linked with the persistence/clearance of hantaviruses in reservoirs. Persistence was associated during experimental infections with an upregulation of anti-inflammatory responses. Using natural rodent population samples, polymorphisms and/or expression levels of several genes have been analyzed. These genes were selected based on the literature of rodent or human/hantavirus interactions (some Mhc class II genes, Tnf promoter, and genes encoding the proteins TLR4, TLR7, Mx2 and β3 integrin). The comparison of genetic differentiation estimated between bank vole populations sampled over Europe, at neutral and candidate genes, has allowed to evidence signatures of selection for Tnf, Mx2 and the Drb Mhc class II genes. Altogether, these results corroborated the hypothesis of an evolution of tolerance strategies in rodents. We finally discuss the importance of these results from the medical and epidemiological perspectives. PMID:24859344

  16. Validation of the Puumala virus rapid field test for bank voles in Germany.

    PubMed

    Reil, D; Imholt, C; Rosenfeld, U M; Drewes, S; Fischer, S; Heuser, E; Petraityte-Burneikiene, R; Ulrich, R G; Jacob, J

    2017-02-01

    Puumala virus (PUUV) causes many human infections in large parts of Europe and can lead to mild to moderate disease. The bank vole (Myodes glareolus) is the only reservoir of PUUV in Central Europe. A commercial PUUV rapid field test for rodents was validated for bank-vole blood samples collected in two PUUV-endemic regions in Germany (North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg). A comparison of the results of the rapid field test and standard ELISAs indicated a test efficacy of 93-95%, largely independent of the origin of the antigens used in the ELISA. In ELISAs, reactivity for the German PUUV strain was higher compared to the Swedish strain but not compared to the Finnish strain, which was used for the rapid field test. In conclusion, the use of the rapid field test can facilitate short-term estimation of PUUV seroprevalence in bank-vole populations in Germany and can aid in assessing human PUUV infection risk.

  17. Effect of Vandetanib on Andes virus survival in the hamster model of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Bird, Brian H; Shrivastava-Ranjan, Punya; Dodd, Kimberly A; Erickson, Bobbie R; Spiropoulou, Christina F

    2016-08-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe disease caused by hantavirus infection of pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells leading to microvascular leakage, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion and high case fatality. Previously, we demonstrated that Andes virus (ANDV) infection caused up-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and concomitant downregulation of the cellular adhesion molecule VE-cadherin leading to increased permeability. Analyses of human HPS-patient sera have further demonstrated increased circulating levels of VEGF. Here we investigate the impact of a small molecule antagonist of the VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) activation in vitro, and overall impact on survival in the Syrian hamster model of HPS. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  18. Divergent ancestral lineages of newfound hantaviruses harbored by phylogenetically related crocidurine shrew species in Korea

    PubMed Central

    Arai, Satoru; Gu, Se Hun; Baek, Luck Ju; Tabara, Kenji; Bennett, Shannon; Oh, Hong-Shik; Takada, Nobuhiro; Kang, Hae Ji; Tanaka-Taya, Keiko; Morikawa, Shigeru; Okabe, Nobuhiko; Yanagihara, Richard; Song, Jin-Won

    2012-01-01

    Spurred by the recent isolation of a novel hantavirus, named Imjin virus (MJNV), from the Ussuri white-toothed shrew (Crocidura lasiura), targeted trapping was conducted for the phylogenetically related Asian lesser white-toothed shrew (Crocidura shantungensis). Pair-wise alignment and comparison of the S, M and L segments of a newfound hantavirus, designated Jeju virus (JJUV), indicated remarkably low nucleotide and amino acid sequence similarity with MJNV. Phylogenetic analyses, using maximum likelihood and Bayesian methods, showed divergent ancestral lineages for JJUV and MJNV, despite the close phylogenetic relationship of their reservoir soricid hosts. Also, no evidence of host switching was apparent in tanglegrams, generated by TreeMap 2.0β. PMID:22230701

  19. [Transient expression and characterization of intracellular single chain Fv against the nucleocapsid protein of Hantavirus].

    PubMed

    Bai, Wen-tao; Xu, Zhi-kai; Zhang, Fang-lin; Luo, Wen; Liu, Yong; Wu, Xing-an; Yan, Yan

    2004-11-01

    To transiently express an intracellular single chain Fv of monoclonal antibody 1A8 against nucleocapsid protein of Hantavirus and characterize the immunological activities of the expressed products. COS-7 cells were transfected with mammalian expression vector 1A8-scFv-Ckappa/pCI-neo via lipofectin. The expressed product was identified by indirect immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation. A diffuse pattern fluorescence was observed in less than 1% cytoplasm of transfected COS-7 cells. The binding of intracellular antibody fragments to NP antigen was confirmed by immunoprecipitation analysis. Transiently expressed single chain intrabodies can effectively target NP antigen in the cytoplasm. The present study may provide a new approach for treatment of Hantavirus.

  20. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Caused by Maripa Virus in French Guiana, 2008-2016.

    PubMed

    Matheus, Séverine; Kallel, Hatem; Mayence, Claire; Bremand, Laetitia; Houcke, Stéphanie; Rousset, Dominique; Lacoste, Vincent; de Thoisy, Benoit; Hommel, Didier; Lavergne, Anne

    2017-10-01

    We report 5 human cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome found during surveillance in French Guiana in 2008-2016; of the 5 patients, 4 died. This pathogen should continue to be monitored in humans and rodents in effort to reduce the occurrence of these lethal infections in humans stemming from ecosystem disturbances.

  1. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome clinical findings: evaluating a surveillance case definition.

    PubMed

    Knust, Barbara; Macneil, Adam; Rollin, Pierre E

    2012-05-01

    Clinical cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) can be challenging to differentiate from other acute respiratory diseases, which can lead to delays in diagnosis, treatment, and disease reporting. Rapid onset of severe disease occurs, at times before diagnostic test results are available. This study's objective was to examine the clinical characteristics of patients that would indicate HPS to aid in detection and reporting. Test results of blood samples from U.S. patients suspected of having HPS submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1998-2010 were reviewed. Patient information collected by case report forms was compared between HPS-confirmed and test-negative patients. Diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and likelihood ratios were calculated for individual clinical findings and combinations of variables. Of 567 patients included, 36% were HPS-confirmed. Thrombocytopenia, chest x-rays with suggestive signs, and receiving supplemental oxygenation were highly sensitive (>95%), while elevated hematocrit was highly specific (83%) in detecting HPS. Combinations that maximized sensitivity required the presence of thrombocytopenia. Using a national sample of suspect patients, we found that thrombocytopenia was a highly sensitive indicator of HPS and should be included in surveillance definitions for suspected HPS. Using a sensitive suspect case definition to identify potential HPS patients that are confirmed by highly specific diagnostic testing will ensure accurate reporting of this disease.

  2. Preliminary selection and evaluation of the binding of aptamers against a Hantavirus antigen using fluorescence spectroscopy and modeling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Missailidis, Sotiris; de Oliveira, Renata Carvalho; Silva, Dilson; Cortez, Célia Martins; Guterres, Alexandro; Vicente, Luciana Helena Bassan; de Godoy, Daniela Tupy; Lemos, Elba

    2015-12-01

    In this study we have aimed to develop novel aptamers against the Hantavirus nucleoprotein N, a valid antigen already used in the Hantavirus reference laboratory of the Institute Oswaldo Cruz in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Such aptamers, if they are found to bind with high affinity and specificity for the selected hantavirus antigen, they could be translated into novel diagnostic assays with the ability to provide early detection for hantaviroses and their related disease syndromes. In a preliminary screening, we have managed to identify three aptamer species. We have analyzed a short and a long version of these aptamer using fluorescence spectroscopy and modelled their binding. We have identified Stern-Volmer constants for the selected aptamers, which have shown affinity for their target, with a different binding between the short and the long versions of them. Short aptamers have shown to have a higher Stern-Volmer constant and the ability to potentially bind to more than one binding site on the antigen. The information provided by the spectroscopic screening has been invaluable in allowing us to define candidates for further development into diagnostic assays.

  3. Mixing of M Segment DNA Vaccines to Hantaan Virus and Puumala Virus Reduces Their Immunogenicity in Hamsters

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-01-01

    vaccines for Rift Valley fever virus, tick- borne encephalitis virus, Hantaan virus, and Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus. Vaccine 2006;24(May 22 (21)):4657–66. ...Valley fever virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, TNV, and Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever virus [19]. Thus, it s clearly possible to develop certain...online 25 April 2008 eywords: a b s t r a c t To determine if DNA vaccines for two hantaviruses causing hemorrhagic

  4. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Caused by Maripa Virus in French Guiana, 2008–2016

    PubMed Central

    Kallel, Hatem; Mayence, Claire; Bremand, Laetitia; Houcke, Stéphanie; Rousset, Dominique; Lacoste, Vincent; de Thoisy, Benoit; Hommel, Didier; Lavergne, Anne

    2017-01-01

    We report 5 human cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome found during surveillance in French Guiana in 2008–2016; of the 5 patients, 4 died. This pathogen should continue to be monitored in humans and rodents in effort to reduce the occurrence of these lethal infections in humans stemming from ecosystem disturbances. PMID:28930019

  5. The Association between Hantavirus Infection and Selenium Deficiency in Mainland China

    PubMed Central

    Fang, Li-Qun; Goeijenbier, Marco; Zuo, Shu-Qing; Wang, Li-Ping; Liang, Song; Klein, Sabra L.; Li, Xin-Lou; Liu, Kun; Liang, Lu; Gong, Peng; Glass, Gregory E.; van Gorp, Eric; Richardus, Jan H.; Ma, Jia-Qi; Cao, Wu-Chun; de Vlas, Sake J.

    2015-01-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by hantaviruses and transmitted by rodents is a significant public health problem in China, and occurs more frequently in selenium-deficient regions. To study the role of selenium concentration in HFRS incidence we used a multidisciplinary approach combining ecological analysis with preliminary experimental data. The incidence of HFRS in humans was about six times higher in severe selenium-deficient and double in moderate deficient areas compared to non-deficient areas. This association became statistically stronger after correction for other significant environment-related factors (low elevation, few grasslands, or an abundance of forests) and was independent of geographical scale by separate analyses for different climate regions. A case-control study of HFRS patients admitted to the hospital revealed increased activity and plasma levels of selenium binding proteins while selenium supplementation in vitro decreased viral replication in an endothelial cell model after infection with a low multiplicity of infection (MOI). Viral replication with a higher MOI was not affected by selenium supplementation. Our findings indicate that selenium deficiency may contribute to an increased prevalence of hantavirus infections in both humans and rodents. Future studies are needed to further examine the exact mechanism behind this observation before selenium supplementation in deficient areas could be implemented for HFRS prevention. PMID:25609306

  6. Toward a Mechanistic Understanding of Environmentally Forced Zoonotic Disease Emergence: Sin Nombre Hantavirus

    PubMed Central

    Carver, Scott; Mills, James N.; Parmenter, Cheryl A.; Parmenter, Robert R.; Richardson, Kyle S.; Harris, Rachel L.; Douglass, Richard J.; Kuenzi, Amy J.; Luis, Angela D.

    2015-01-01

    Understanding the environmental drivers of zoonotic reservoir and human interactions is crucial to understanding disease risk, but these drivers are poorly predicted. We propose a mechanistic understanding of human–reservoir interactions, using hantavirus pulmonary syndrome as a case study. Crucial processes underpinning the disease's incidence remain poorly studied, including the connectivity among natural and peridomestic deer mouse host activity, virus transmission, and human exposure. We found that disease cases were greatest in arid states and declined exponentially with increasing precipitation. Within arid environments, relatively rare climatic conditions (e.g., El Niño) are associated with increased rainfall and reservoir abundance, producing more frequent virus transmission and host dispersal. We suggest that deer mice increase their occupancy of peridomestic structures during spring–summer, amplifying intraspecific transmission and human infection risk. Disease incidence in arid states may increase with predicted climatic changes. Mechanistic approaches incorporating reservoir behavior, reservoir–human interactions, and pathogen spillover could enhance our understanding of global hantavirus ecology, with applications to other directly transmitted zoonoses. PMID:26955081

  7. Evaluation of habitat requirements of small rodents and effectiveness of an ecologically-based management in a hantavirus-endemic natural protected area in Argentina.

    PubMed

    Vadell, María Victoria; García Erize, Francisco; Gómez Villafañe, Isabel Elisa

    2017-01-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a severe cardio pulmonary disease transmitted to humans by sylvan rodents found in natural and rural environments. Disease transmission is closely linked to the ecology of animal reservoirs and abiotic factors such as habitat characteristics, season or climatic conditions. The main goals of this research were: to determine the biotic and abiotic factors affecting richness and abundance of rodent species at different spatial scales, to evaluate different methodologies for studying population of small rodents, and to describe and analyze an ecologically-based rodent management experience in a highly touristic area. A 4-year study of small rodent ecology was conducted between April 2007 and August 2011 in the most relevant habitats of El Palmar National Park, Argentina. Management involved a wide range of control and prevention measures, including poisoning, culling and habitat modification. A total of 172 individuals of 5 species were captured with a trapping effort of 13 860 traps-nights (1.24 individuals/100 traps-nights). Five rodent species were captured, including 2 hantavirus-host species, Oligoryzomys nigripes and Akodon azarae. Oligoryzomys nigripes, host of a hantavirus that is pathogenic in humans, was the most abundant species and the only one found in all the studied habitats. Our results are inconsistent with the dilution effect hypothesis. The present study demonstrates that sylvan rodent species, including the hantavirus-host species, have distinct local habitat selection and temporal variation patterns in abundance, which may influence the risk of human exposure to hantavirus and may have practical implications for disease transmission as well as for reservoir management. © 2016 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  8. Hantavirus Public Health outreach effectiveness in three populations: an overview of northwestern New Mexico, Los Santos Panama, and Region IX Chile.

    PubMed

    McConnell, Marjorie S

    2014-02-27

    This research compared the effectiveness of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) outreach programs in New Mexico, Panama, and Chile. Understanding the role of human demographics, disease ecology, and human behavior in the disease process is critical to the examination of community responses in terms of behavior changes. Attitudes, knowledge, and behavior across three populations were measured through the implementation of a self-administered questionnaire (N = 601). Surveys implemented in Chile and Panama in 2004, followed by northwestern New Mexico in 2008, attempted to assess knowledge and behavior change with respect to hantavirus in high- and lower-risk prevalence areas during endemic periods. While levels of concern over contracting hantavirus were lowest in New Mexico, they were highest in Panama. Respondents in Chile showed mid-level concern and exhibited a tendency to practice proper cleaning methods more than in New Mexico and Panama. This indicates that public health messages appear to be more effective in Chile. However, since negative behavior changes, such as sweeping and vacuuming, occur at some level in all three populations, improved messages should help decrease risk of exposure to HPS.

  9. Daily Movements and Microhabitat Selection of Hantavirus Reservoirs and Other Sigmodontinae Rodent Species that Inhabit a Protected Natural Area of Argentina.

    PubMed

    Maroli, Malena; Vadell, María Victoria; Iglesias, Ayelén; Padula, Paula Julieta; Gómez Villafañe, Isabel Elisa

    2015-09-01

    Abundance, distribution, movement patterns, and habitat selection of a reservoir species influence the dispersal of zoonotic pathogens, and hence, the risk for humans. Movements and microhabitat use of rodent species, and their potential role in the transmission of hantavirus were studied in Otamendi Natural Reserve, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Movement estimators and qualitative characteristics of rodent paths were determined by means of a spool and line device method. Sampling was conducted during November and December 2011, and March, April, June, October, and December 2012. Forty-six Oxymycterus rufus, 41 Akodon azarae, 10 Scapteromys aquaticus and 5 Oligoryzomys flavescens were captured. Movement patterns and distances varied according to sex, habitat type, reproductive season, and body size among species. O. flavescens, reservoir of the etiologic agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the region, moved short distances, had the most linear paths and did not share paths with other species. A. azarae had an intermediate linearity index, its movements were longer in the highland grassland than in the lowland marsh and the salty grassland, and larger individuals traveled longer distances. O. rufus had the most tortuous paths and the males moved more during the non-breeding season. S. aquaticus movements were associated with habitat type with longer distances traveled in the lowland marsh than in the salty grassland. Hantavirus antibodies were detected in 20% of A. azarae and were not detected in any other species. Seropositive individuals were captured during the breeding season and 85% of them were males. A. azarae moved randomly and shared paths with all the other species, which could promote hantavirus spillover events.

  10. A rapid method for infectivity titration of Andes hantavirus using flow cytometry.

    PubMed

    Barriga, Gonzalo P; Martínez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Galeno, Héctor; Ferrés, Marcela; Lozach, Pierre-Yves; Tischler, Nicole D

    2013-11-01

    The focus assay is currently the most commonly used technique for hantavirus titer determination. This method requires an incubation time of between 5 and 11 days to allow the appearance of foci after several rounds of viral infection. The following work presents a rapid Andes virus (ANDV) titration assay, based on viral nucleocapsid protein (N) detection in infected cells by flow cytometry. To this end, an anti-N monoclonal antibody was used that was developed and characterized previously. ANDV N could be detected as early as 6 h post-infection, while viral release was not observed until 24-48 h post-infection. Given that ANDV detection was performed during its first round of infection, a time reduction for titer determination was possible and provided results in only two days. The viral titer was calculated from the percentage of N positive cells and agreed with focus assay titers. Furthermore, the assay was applied to quantify the inhibition of ANDV cell entry by patient sera and by preventing endosome acidification. This novel hantavirus titration assay is a highly quantitative and sensitive tool that facilitates infectivity titration of virus stocks, rapid screening for antiviral drugs, and may be further used to detect and quantify infectious virus in human samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. A Lethal Disease Model for Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Immunosuppressed Syrian Hamsters Infected with Sin Nombre Virus

    PubMed Central

    Brocato, Rebecca L.; Hammerbeck, Christopher D.; Bell, Todd M.; Wells, Jay B.; Queen, Laurie A.

    2014-01-01

    Sin Nombre virus (SNV) is a rodent-borne hantavirus that causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) predominantly in North America. SNV infection of immunocompetent hamsters results in an asymptomatic infection; the only lethal disease model for a pathogenic hantavirus is Andes virus (ANDV) infection of Syrian hamsters. Efforts to create a lethal SNV disease model in hamsters by repeatedly passaging virus through the hamster have demonstrated increased dissemination of the virus but no signs of disease. In this study, we demonstrate that immunosuppression of hamsters through the administration of a combination of dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide, followed by infection with SNV, results in a vascular leak syndrome that accurately mimics both HPS disease in humans and ANDV infection of hamsters. Immunosuppressed hamsters infected with SNV have a mean number of days to death of 13 and display clinical signs associated with HPS, including pulmonary edema. Viral antigen was widely detectable throughout the pulmonary endothelium. Histologic analysis of lung sections showed marked inflammation and edema within the alveolar septa of SNV-infected hamsters, results which are similar to what is exhibited by hamsters infected with ANDV. Importantly, SNV-specific neutralizing polyclonal antibody administered 5 days after SNV infection conferred significant protection against disease. This experiment not only demonstrated that the disease was caused by SNV, it also demonstrated the utility of this animal model for testing candidate medical countermeasures. This is the first report of lethal disease caused by SNV in an adult small-animal model. PMID:24198421

  12. A lethal disease model for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in immunosuppressed Syrian hamsters infected with Sin Nombre virus.

    PubMed

    Brocato, Rebecca L; Hammerbeck, Christopher D; Bell, Todd M; Wells, Jay B; Queen, Laurie A; Hooper, Jay W

    2014-01-01

    Sin Nombre virus (SNV) is a rodent-borne hantavirus that causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) predominantly in North America. SNV infection of immunocompetent hamsters results in an asymptomatic infection; the only lethal disease model for a pathogenic hantavirus is Andes virus (ANDV) infection of Syrian hamsters. Efforts to create a lethal SNV disease model in hamsters by repeatedly passaging virus through the hamster have demonstrated increased dissemination of the virus but no signs of disease. In this study, we demonstrate that immunosuppression of hamsters through the administration of a combination of dexamethasone and cyclophosphamide, followed by infection with SNV, results in a vascular leak syndrome that accurately mimics both HPS disease in humans and ANDV infection of hamsters. Immunosuppressed hamsters infected with SNV have a mean number of days to death of 13 and display clinical signs associated with HPS, including pulmonary edema. Viral antigen was widely detectable throughout the pulmonary endothelium. Histologic analysis of lung sections showed marked inflammation and edema within the alveolar septa of SNV-infected hamsters, results which are similar to what is exhibited by hamsters infected with ANDV. Importantly, SNV-specific neutralizing polyclonal antibody administered 5 days after SNV infection conferred significant protection against disease. This experiment not only demonstrated that the disease was caused by SNV, it also demonstrated the utility of this animal model for testing candidate medical countermeasures. This is the first report of lethal disease caused by SNV in an adult small-animal model.

  13. Pneumonitis in Syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) infected with Rio Mamoré virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus).

    PubMed

    Milazzo, Mary Louise; Eyzaguirre, Eduardo J; Fulhorst, Charles F

    2014-10-13

    Rio Mamoré virus is an etiological agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in South America. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Rio Mamoré virus strain HTN-007 in Syrian golden hamsters is pathogenic. None of 37 adult hamsters infected by intramuscular injection of HTN-007, including 10 animals killed on Day 42 or 43 post-inoculation, exhibited any symptom of disease. Histological abnormalities included severe or moderately severe pneumonitis in 6 (46.2%) of the 13 animals killed on Day 7 or 10 post-inoculation. The primary target of infection in lung was the endothelium of the microvasculature. Collectively, these results indicate that Rio Mamoré virus strain HTN-007 in adult Syrian golden hamsters can cause a nonlethal disease that is pathologically similar to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in visitors to a national park--Yosemite Valley, California, 2012.

    PubMed

    2012-11-23

    On August 16, 2012, the California Department of Public Health announced two confirmed cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in California residents who had stayed overnight in Yosemite National Park, launching an investigation by the National Park Service, California Department of Public Health, and CDC. On August 27, Yosemite National Park announced two additional cases, and by October 30, 10 cases had been confirmed.

  15. Pneumonitis in Syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) infected with Río Mamoré virus (family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus)

    PubMed Central

    Milazzo, Mary Louise; Eyzaguirre, Eduardo J.; Fulhorst, Charles F.

    2014-01-01

    Rio Mamoré virus is an etiological agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in South America. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Rio Mamoré virus strain HTN-007 in Syrian golden hamsters is pathogenic. None of 37 adult hamsters infected by intramuscular injection of HTN-007, including 10 animals killed on Day 42 or 43 post-inoculation, exhibited any symptom of disease. Histological abnormalities included severe or moderately severe pneumonitis in 6 (46.2%) of the 13 animals killed on Day 7 or 10 post-inoculation. The primary target of infection in lung was the endothelium of the microvasculature. Collectively, these results indicate that Rio Mamoré virus strain HTN-007 in adult Syrian golden hamsters can cause a nonlethal disease that is pathologically similar to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. PMID:25064267

  16. Hantavirus Public Health Outreach Effectiveness in Three Populations: An Overview of Northwestern New Mexico, Los Santos Panama, and Region IX Chile

    PubMed Central

    McConnell, Marjorie S.

    2014-01-01

    This research compared the effectiveness of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) outreach programs in New Mexico, Panama, and Chile. Understanding the role of human demographics, disease ecology, and human behavior in the disease process is critical to the examination of community responses in terms of behavior changes. Attitudes, knowledge, and behavior across three populations were measured through the implementation of a self-administered questionnaire (N = 601). Surveys implemented in Chile and Panama in 2004, followed by northwestern New Mexico in 2008, attempted to assess knowledge and behavior change with respect to hantavirus in high- and lower-risk prevalence areas during endemic periods. While levels of concern over contracting hantavirus were lowest in New Mexico, they were highest in Panama. Respondents in Chile showed mid-level concern and exhibited a tendency to practice proper cleaning methods more than in New Mexico and Panama. This indicates that public health messages appear to be more effective in Chile. However, since negative behavior changes, such as sweeping and vacuuming, occur at some level in all three populations, improved messages should help decrease risk of exposure to HPS. PMID:24584027

  17. Isolation of sochi virus from a fatal case of hantavirus disease with fulminant clinical course.

    PubMed

    Dzagurova, Tamara K; Witkowski, Peter T; Tkachenko, Evgeniy A; Klempa, Boris; Morozov, Vyacheslav G; Auste, Brita; Zavora, Dmitriy L; Iunicheva, Iulia V; Mutnih, Elena S; Kruger, Detlev H

    2012-01-01

    Sochi virus, a novel genetic variant of Dobrava-Belgrade virus, was isolated in cell culture from a fulminant lethal case of hantavirus disease presenting with shock and combined kidney and lung failure. Sochi virus is transmitted to humans from host reservoir Apodemus ponticus and must be considered a life-threatening emerging agent.

  18. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Southern Chile, 1995-2012.

    PubMed

    Riquelme, Raúl; Rioseco, María Luisa; Bastidas, Lorena; Trincado, Daniela; Riquelme, Mauricio; Loyola, Hugo; Valdivieso, Francisca

    2015-04-01

    Hantavirus is endemic to the Region de Los Lagos in southern Chile; its incidence is 8.5 times higher in the communes of the Andean area than in the rest of the region. We analyzed the epidemiologic aspects of the 103 cases diagnosed by serology and the clinical aspects of 80 hospitalized patients during 1995-2012. Cases in this region clearly predominated during winter, whereas in the rest of the country, they occur mostly during summer. Mild, moderate, and severe disease was observed, and the case-fatality rate was 32%. Shock caused death in 75% of those cases; high respiratory frequency and elevated creatinine plasma level were independent factors associated with death. Early clinical suspicion, especially in rural areas, should prompt urgent transfer to a hospital with an intensive care unit and might help decrease the high case-fatality rate.

  19. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Argentina, 1995-2008.

    PubMed

    Martinez, Valeria P; Bellomo, Carla M; Cacace, Maria Luisa; Suarez, Paola; Bogni, Liliana; Padula, Paula J

    2010-12-01

    We report a large case series of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Argentina that was confirmed by laboratory results from 1995 through 2008. The geographic and temporal distribution of cases by age, sex, fatality rate, and risk factors for HPS was analyzed. A total of 710 cases were unequally distributed among 4 of the 5 Argentine regions. Different case-fatality rates were observed for each affected region, with a maximum rate of 40.5%. The male-to-female ratio for HPS case-patients was 3.7:1.0; the case-fatality rate was significantly higher for women. Agriculture-associated activities were most commonly reported as potential risk factors, especially among men of working age. Although HPS cases occurred predominantly in isolation, we identified 15 clusters in which strong relationships were observed between members, which suggests ongoing but limited person-to-person transmission.

  20. Hantavirus surveillance and genetic diversity targeting small mammals at Camp Humphreys, a US military installation and new expansion site, Republic of Korea

    PubMed Central

    Klein, Terry A.; Chong, Sung-Tae; Nunn, Peter V.; Kim, Jeong-Ah; Lee, Seung-Ho; No, Jin Sun; Song, Jin-Won

    2017-01-01

    Small mammal surveillance was conducted (2008–2010, 2012) at Camp (Cp) Humphreys, a US Army installation and new expansion site, Republic of Korea (ROK), to identify hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome health threats to US military/civilian populations during its ongoing expansion phase. Small mammals were collected using Sherman live capture traps and transported to Korea University where they were euthanized, tissues removed, and assayed to determine hantavirus IgG antibody-positive and hantavirus-positive rates by RT-PCR. A total of 2,364 small mammals were captured over 11,300 trap nights (capture rate = 20.92%). Apodemus agrarius was the most commonly collected (76.65%), with capture rates of 9.62% and 21.70% for Cp Humphreys and the expansion site, respectively. Overall, Hantaan virus (HTNV) IgG antibody-positive (Ab+) rate for A. agrarius was 2.15% (39/1,812). A total of 5.43% (10/184) Crocidura lasiura, 0.79% (2/254) Microtus fortis and 2.44% (1/41) Micromys minutus were serologically IgG Ab+ for hantaviruses. HTNV-specific RT-PCR demonstrated that 28.2% (11/39) HTNV Ab+ A. agrarius harbored the 328-nt sequence of the GC glycoprotein-encoding M segment of HTNV. Among them, the whole genome sequences of 3 HTNV strains were obtained by conventional RT-PCR and Rapid Amplification cDNA Ends PCR. Phylogenetic analyses of the HTNV strains from Cp Humphreys and the expansion site, Pyeongtaek, show a greater diversity of rodent-borne hantaviruses compared to HTNV previously identified in Gyeonggi province of the ROK. Thus, this study provides significant insights for raising HFRS threat awareness, analysis, and risk reduction strategies in southern Gyeonggi province. PMID:28448595

  1. Hantavirus reservoir Oligoryzomys longicaudatus spatial distribution sensitivity to climate change scenarios in Argentine Patagonia

    PubMed Central

    Carbajo, Aníbal E; Vera, Carolina; González, Paula LM

    2009-01-01

    Background Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (colilargo) is the rodent responsible for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Argentine Patagonia. In past decades (1967–1998), trends of precipitation reduction and surface air temperature increase have been observed in western Patagonia. We explore how the potential distribution of the hantavirus reservoir would change under different climate change scenarios based on the observed trends. Methods Four scenarios of potential climate change were constructed using temperature and precipitation changes observed in Argentine Patagonia between 1967 and 1998: Scenario 1 assumed no change in precipitation but a temperature trend as observed; scenario 2 assumed no changes in temperature but a precipitation trend as observed; Scenario 3 included changes in both temperature and precipitation trends as observed; Scenario 4 assumed changes in both temperature and precipitation trends as observed but doubled. We used a validated spatial distribution model of O. longicaudatus as a function of temperature and precipitation. From the model probability of the rodent presence was calculated for each scenario. Results If changes in precipitation follow previous trends, the probability of the colilargo presence would fall in the HPS transmission zone of northern Patagonia. If temperature and precipitation trends remain at current levels for 60 years or double in the future 30 years, the probability of the rodent presence and the associated total area of potential distribution would diminish throughout Patagonia; the areas of potential distribution for colilargos would shift eastwards. These results suggest that future changes in Patagonia climate may lower transmission risk through a reduction in the potential distribution of the rodent reservoir. Conclusion According to our model the rates of temperature and precipitation changes observed between 1967 and 1998 may produce significant changes in the rodent distribution in an equivalent

  2. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, United States, 1993-2009.

    PubMed

    MacNeil, Adam; Ksiazek, Thomas G; Rollin, Pierre E

    2011-07-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe respiratory illness identified in 1993. Since its identification, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has obtained standardized information about and maintained a registry of all laboratory-confirmed HPS cases in the United States. During 1993-2009, a total of 510 HPS cases were identified. Case counts have varied from 11 to 48 per year (case-fatality rate 35%). However, there were no trends suggesting increasing or decreasing case counts or fatality rates. Although cases were reported in 30 states, most cases occurred in the western half of the country; annual case counts varied most in the southwestern United States. Increased hematocrits, leukocyte counts, and creatinine levels were more common in HPS case-patients who died. HPS is a severe disease with a high case-fatality rate, and cases continue to occur. The greatest potential for high annual HPS incidence exists in the southwestern United States.

  3. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome , Southern Chile, 1995–2012

    PubMed Central

    Riquelme, Raúl; Rioseco, María Luisa; Bastidas, Lorena; Trincado, Daniela; Riquelme, Mauricio; Loyola, Hugo; Valdivieso, Francisca

    2015-01-01

    Hantavirus is endemic to the Region de Los Lagos in southern Chile; its incidence is 8.5 times higher in the communes of the Andean area than in the rest of the region. We analyzed the epidemiologic aspects of the 103 cases diagnosed by serology and the clinical aspects of 80 hospitalized patients during 1995–2012. Cases in this region clearly predominated during winter, whereas in the rest of the country, they occur mostly during summer. Mild, moderate, and severe disease was observed, and the case-fatality rate was 32%. Shock caused death in 75% of those cases; high respiratory frequency and elevated creatinine plasma level were independent factors associated with death. Early clinical suspicion, especially in rural areas, should prompt urgent transfer to a hospital with an intensive care unit and might help decrease the high case-fatality rate. PMID:25816116

  4. Modeling potential distribution of Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, the Andes virus (Genus: Hantavirus) reservoir, in Argentina.

    PubMed

    Andreo, Verónica; Glass, Gregory; Shields, Timothy; Provensal, Cecilia; Polop, Jaime

    2011-09-01

    We constructed a model to predict the potential distribution of Oligoryzomys longicaudatus, the reservoir of Andes virus (Genus: Hantavirus), in Argentina. We developed an extensive database of occurrence records from published studies and our own surveys and compared two methods to model the probability of O. longicaudatus presence; logistic regression and MaxEnt algorithm. The environmental variables used were tree, grass and bare soil cover from MODIS imagery and, altitude and 19 bioclimatic variables from WorldClim database. The models performances were evaluated and compared both by threshold dependent and independent measures. The best models included tree and grass cover, mean diurnal temperature range, and precipitation of the warmest and coldest seasons. The potential distribution maps for O. longicaudatus predicted the highest occurrence probabilities along the Andes range, from 32°S and narrowing southwards. They also predicted high probabilities for the south-central area of Argentina, reaching the Atlantic coast. The Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome cases coincided with mean occurrence probabilities of 95 and 77% for logistic and MaxEnt models, respectively. HPS transmission zones in Argentine Patagonia matched the areas with the highest probability of presence. Therefore, colilargos presence probability may provide an approximate risk of transmission and act as an early tool to guide control and prevention plans.

  5. Tula hantavirus L protein is a 250 kDa perinuclear membrane-associated protein.

    PubMed

    Kukkonen, Sami K J; Vaheri, Antti; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2004-05-01

    The complete open reading frame of Tula hantavirus (TULV) L RNA was cloned in three parts. The middle third (nt 2191-4344) could be expressed in E. coli and was used to immunize rabbits. The resultant antiserum was then used to immunoblot concentrated TULV and infected Vero E6 cells. The L protein of a hantavirus was detected, for the first time, in infected cells and was found to be expressed as a single protein with an apparent molecular mass of 250 kDa in both virions and infected cells. Using the antiserum, the expression level of the L protein was followed and image analysis of immunoblots indicated that there were 10(4) copies per cell at the peak level of expression. The antiserum was also used to detect the L protein in cell fractionation studies. In cells infected with TULV and cells expressing recombinant L, the protein pelleted with the microsomal membrane fraction. The membrane association was confirmed with membrane flotation assays. To visualize L protein localization in cells, a fusion protein of L and enhanced green fluorescent protein, L-EGFP, was expressed in Vero E6 cells with a plasmid-driven T7 expression system. L-EGFP localized in the perinuclear region where it had partial co-localization with the Golgi matrix protein GM130 and the TULV nucleocapsid protein.

  6. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Argentina, 1995–2008

    PubMed Central

    Bellomo, Carla M.; Cacace, María Luisa; Suárez, Paola; Bogni, Liliana; Padula, Paula J.

    2010-01-01

    We report a large case series of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in Argentina that was confirmed by laboratory restuls from 1995 through 2008. The geographic and temporal distribution of cases by age, sex, fatality rate, and risk factors for HPS was analyzed. A total of 710 cases were unequally distributed among 4 of the 5 Argentine regions. Different case-fatality rates were observed for each affected region, with a maximum rate of 40.5%. The male-to-female ratio for HPS case-patients was 3.7:1.0; the case-fatality rate was significantly higher for women. Agriculture-associated activities were most commonly reported as potential risk factors, especially among men of working age. Although HPS cases occurred predominantly in isolation, we identified 15 clusters in which strong relationships were observed between members, which suggests ongoing but limited person-to-person transmission. PMID:21122213

  7. Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Central Bolivia: Relationships Between Reservoir Hosts, Habitats, and Viral Genotypes

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2005-01-01

    in Brazil. J Med Virol 59: 527–535. 7. Lopez N, Padula P, Rossi C, Lazaro ME, Franze-Fernandez MT, 1996. Genetic identification of a new hantavirus...177: 529–538. 10. Toro J, Vega JD, Khan AS, Mills JN, Padula P, Terry W, Yadon Z, Valderrama R, Ellis BA, Pavletic C, Cerda R, Zaki S, Wun- Ju S, Meyer...Chile, 1997. Emerg Infect Dis 4: 687–694. 11. Padula PJ, Rossi CM, Della Valle MO, Martinez PV, Colavecchia SB, Edelstein A, Miguel SD, Rabinovich RD

  8. Associations between MHC genes and Puumala virus infection in Myodes glareolus are detected in wild populations, but not from experimental infection data.

    PubMed

    Guivier, Emmanuel; Galan, Maxime; Malé, Pierre-Jean G; Kallio, Eva R; Voutilainen, Liina; Henttonen, Heikki; Olsson, Gert E; Lundkvist, Ake; Tersago, Katrien; Augot, Denis; Cosson, Jean-François; Charbonnel, Nathalie

    2010-10-01

    We analysed the influence of MHC class II Dqa and Drb genes on Puumala virus (PUUV) infection in bank voles (Myodes glareolus). We considered voles sampled in five European localities or derived from a previous experiment that showed variable infection success of PUUV. The genetic variation observed in the Dqa and Drb genes was assessed by using single-strand conformation polymorphism and pyrosequencing methods, respectively. Patterns were compared with those obtained from 13 microsatellites. We revealed significant genetic differentiation between PUUV-seronegative and -seropositive bank voles sampled in wild populations, at the Drb gene only. The absence of genetic differentiation observed at neutral microsatellites confirmed the important role of selective pressures in shaping these Drb patterns. Also, we found no significant associations between infection success and MHC alleles among laboratory-colonized bank voles, which is explained by a loss of genetic variability that occurred during the captivity of these voles.

  9. Death-domain associated protein-6 (DAXX) mediated apoptosis in hantavirus infection is counter-balanced by activation of interferon-stimulated nuclear transcription factors

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Khaiboullina, Svetlana F., E-mail: sv.khaiboullina@gmail.com; Morzunov, Sergey P.; Boichuk, Sergei V.

    2013-09-01

    Hantaviruses are negative strand RNA species that replicate predominantly in the cytoplasm. They also activate numerous cellular responses, but their involvement in nuclear processes is yet to be established. Using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), this study investigates the molecular finger-print of nuclear transcription factors during hantavirus infection. The viral-replication-dependent activation of pro-myelocytic leukemia protein (PML) was followed by subsequent localization in nuclear bodies (NBs). PML was also found in close proximity to activated Sp100 nuclear antigen and interferon-stimulated gene 20 kDa protein (ISG-20), but co-localization with death-domain associated protein-6 (DAXX) was not observed. These data demonstrate that hantavirusmore » triggers PML activation and localization in NBs in the absence of DAXX-PLM-NB co-localization. The results suggest that viral infection interferes with DAXX-mediated apoptosis, and expression of interferon-activated Sp100 and ISG-20 proteins may indicate intracellular intrinsic antiviral attempts.« less

  10. Determinants of the geographic distribution of Puumala virus and Lyme borreliosis infections in Belgium.

    PubMed

    Linard, Catherine; Lamarque, Pénélope; Heyman, Paul; Ducoffre, Geneviève; Luyasu, Victor; Tersago, Katrien; Vanwambeke, Sophie O; Lambin, Eric F

    2007-05-02

    Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases generally display clear spatial patterns due to different space-dependent factors. Land cover and land use influence disease transmission by controlling both the spatial distribution of vectors or hosts, and the probability of contact with susceptible human populations. The objective of this study was to combine environmental and socio-economic factors to explain the spatial distribution of two emerging human diseases in Belgium, Puumala virus (PUUV) and Lyme borreliosis. Municipalities were taken as units of analysis. Negative binomial regressions including a correction for spatial endogeneity show that the spatial distribution of PUUV and Lyme borreliosis infections are associated with a combination of factors linked to the vector and host populations, to human behaviours, and to landscape attributes. Both diseases are associated with the presence of forests, which are the preferred habitat for vector or host populations. The PUUV infection risk is higher in remote forest areas, where the level of urbanisation is low, and among low-income populations. The Lyme borreliosis transmission risk is higher in mixed landscapes with forests and spatially dispersed houses, mostly in wealthy peri-urban areas. The spatial dependence resulting from a combination of endogenous and exogenous processes could be accounted for in the model on PUUV but not for Lyme borreliosis. A large part of the spatial variation in disease risk can be explained by environmental and socio-economic factors. The two diseases not only are most prevalent in different regions but also affect different groups of people. Combining these two criteria may increase the efficiency of information campaigns through appropriate targeting.

  11. Vaccinia virus-free rescue of fluorescent replication-defective vesicular stomatitis virus and pseudotyping with Puumala virus glycoproteins for use in neutralization tests.

    PubMed

    Paneth Iheozor-Ejiofor, Rommel; Levanov, Lev; Hepojoki, Jussi; Strandin, Tomas; Lundkvist, Åke; Plyusnin, Alexander; Vapalahti, Olli

    2016-05-01

    Puumala virus (PUUV) grows slowly in cell culture. To study antigenic properties of PUUV, an amenable method for their expression would be beneficial. To achieve this, a replication-defective recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus, rVSVΔG*EGFP, was rescued using BSRT7/5 and encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) internal ribosomal entry site (IRES)-enabled rescue plasmids. Using these particles, pseudotypes bearing PUUV Sotkamo strain glycoproteins were produced, with titres in the range 105-108, and were used in pseudotype focus reduction neutralization tests (pFRNTs) with neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and patient sera. The results were compared with those from orthodox focus reduction neutralization tests (oFRNTs) using native PUUV with the same samples and showed a strong positive correlation (rs = 0.82) between the methods. While developing the system we identified three amino acids which were mutated in the Vero E6 cell culture adapted PUUV prototype Sotkamo strain sequence, and changing these residues was critical for expression and neutralizing antibody binding of PUUV glycoproteins.

  12. Antiviral efficacy of favipiravir against two prominent etiological agents of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Safronetz, David; Falzarano, Darryl; Scott, Dana P; Furuta, Yousuke; Feldmann, Heinz; Gowen, Brian B

    2013-10-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is caused by infection with several Sigmodontinae- and Neotominae-borne hantaviruses and has a case fatality rate of 30 to 50%. Humans often become infected by inhalation of materials contaminated with virus-laden rodent urine or saliva, although human-to-human transmission has also been documented for Andes virus (ANDV). The ability to transmit via aerosolization, coupled with the high mortality rates and lack of therapeutic options, makes the development of medical countermeasures against HPS imperative. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of the broad-spectrum antiviral agent favipiravir (T-705) against Sin Nombre virus (SNV) and ANDV, the predominant causes of HPS in North and South America, respectively. In vitro, T-705 potently inhibited SNV and ANDV, as evidenced by decreased detection of viral RNA and reduced infectious titers. For both viruses, the 90% effective concentration was estimated at ≤5 μg/ml (≤31.8 μM). In the lethal ANDV hamster model, daily administration of oral T-705 at 50 or 100 mg/kg of body weight diminished the detection of viral RNA and antigen in tissue specimens and significantly improved survival rates. Oral T-705 therapy remained protective against HPS when treatment was initiated prior to the onset of viremia. No disease model for SNV exists; however, using a hamster-adapted SNV, we found that daily administration of oral T-705 significantly reduced the detection of SNV RNA and antigen in tissue specimens, suggesting that the compound would also be effective against HPS in North America. Combined, these results suggest that T-705 treatment is beneficial for postexposure prophylaxis against HPS-causing viruses and should be considered for probable exposures.

  13. Determinants of the geographic distribution of Puumala virus and Lyme borreliosis infections in Belgium

    PubMed Central

    Linard, Catherine; Lamarque, Pénélope; Heyman, Paul; Ducoffre, Geneviève; Luyasu, Victor; Tersago, Katrien; Vanwambeke, Sophie O; Lambin, Eric F

    2007-01-01

    Background Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases generally display clear spatial patterns due to different space-dependent factors. Land cover and land use influence disease transmission by controlling both the spatial distribution of vectors or hosts, and the probability of contact with susceptible human populations. The objective of this study was to combine environmental and socio-economic factors to explain the spatial distribution of two emerging human diseases in Belgium, Puumala virus (PUUV) and Lyme borreliosis. Municipalities were taken as units of analysis. Results Negative binomial regressions including a correction for spatial endogeneity show that the spatial distribution of PUUV and Lyme borreliosis infections are associated with a combination of factors linked to the vector and host populations, to human behaviours, and to landscape attributes. Both diseases are associated with the presence of forests, which are the preferred habitat for vector or host populations. The PUUV infection risk is higher in remote forest areas, where the level of urbanisation is low, and among low-income populations. The Lyme borreliosis transmission risk is higher in mixed landscapes with forests and spatially dispersed houses, mostly in wealthy peri-urban areas. The spatial dependence resulting from a combination of endogenous and exogenous processes could be accounted for in the model on PUUV but not for Lyme borreliosis. Conclusion A large part of the spatial variation in disease risk can be explained by environmental and socio-economic factors. The two diseases not only are most prevalent in different regions but also affect different groups of people. Combining these two criteria may increase the efficiency of information campaigns through appropriate targeting. PMID:17474974

  14. Anthropogenic habitat disturbance and the dynamics of hantavirus using remote sensing, GIS, and a spatially explicit agent-based model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cao, Lina

    Sin Nombre virus (SNV), a strain of hantavirus, causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in humans, a deadly disease with high mortality rate (>50%). The primary virus host is deer mice, and greater deer mice abundance has been shown to increase the human risk of HPS. There is a great need in understanding the nature of the virus host, its temporal and spatial dynamics, and its relation to the human population with the purpose of predicting human risk of the disease. This research studies SNV dynamics in deer mice in the Great Basin Desert of central Utah, USA using multiyear field data and integrated geospatial approaches including remote sensing, Geographic Information System (GIS), and a spatially explicit agent-based model. The goal is to advance our understanding of the important ecological and demographic factors that affect the dynamics of deer mouse population and SNV prevalence. The primary research question is how climate, habitat disturbance, and deer mouse demographics affect deer mouse population density, its movement, and SNV prevalence in the sagebrush habitat. The results show that the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) can be good predictors of deer mouse density and the number of infected deer mice with a time lag of 1.0 to 1.3 years. This information can be very useful in predicting mouse abundance and SNV risk. The results also showed that climate, mouse density, sex, mass, and SNV infection had significant effects on deer mouse movement. The effect of habitat disturbance on mouse movement varies according to climate conditions with positive relationship in predrought condition and negative association in postdrought condition. The heavier infected deer mice moved the most. Season and disturbance alone had no significant effects. The spatial agent-based model (SABM) simulation results show that prevalence was negatively related to the disturbance levels and the sensitivity analysis showed that

  15. High-resolution computed tomography findings in eight patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Barbosa, Diego de Lacerda; Hochhegger, Bruno; Souza, Arthur Soares; Zanetti, Gláucia; Escuissato, Dante Luiz; Meirelles, Gustavo de Souza Portes; Funari, Marcelo Buarque de Gusmão; Marchiori, Edson

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to describe the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings in patients with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). We retrospectively reviewed HRCT findings from eight cases of HPS. All patients were men, aged 19-70 (mean, 41.7) years. Diagnoses were established by serological test (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) in all patients. Two chest radiologists analyzed the images and reached decisions by consensus. The predominant HRCT findings were ground-glass opacities (GGOs) and smooth inter- and intralobular septal thickening, found in all eight cases; however, the crazy-paving pattern was found in only three cases. Pleural effusion and peribronchovascular thickening were observed in five patients. The abnormalities were bilateral in all patients. The predominant HRCT findings in patients with HPS were GGOs and smooth inter- and intralobular septal thickening, which probably correlate with the histopathologic findings of pulmonary edema.

  16. [Microbiological surveillance: viral hemorrhagic fever in Central African Republic: current serological data in man].

    PubMed

    Nakounné, E; Selekon, B; Morvan, J

    2000-01-01

    An investigation was conducted between 1994 and 1997 in forested areas of the Central African Republic (CAR) to determine the seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against several haemorrhagic fever viruses present in the region. Sera were obtained from 1762 individuals in two groups (Pygmy and Bantu locuted populations) living in 4 forested areas in the south of the country. Sera were tested for IgG antibodies against Ebola, Marburg, Rift Valley fever (RVF), Yellow fever (YF) and Hantaviruses by enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and against Lassa virus by immunofluorescent assay. The prevalence of IgG antibodies was 5.9% for Ebola, 2% for Marburg, 6.9% pour RVF, 6.5% for YF, 2% for Hantaan. No antibodies were detected against Lassa, Seoul, Puumala and Thottapalayam viruses. No IgM antibodies were detected against RVF and YF viruses. The distribution of antibodies appears to be related to tropical rain forest areas. This study indicates that several haemorrhagic fever viruses are endemic in forested areas of the CAR and could emerge due to environmental modification.

  17. Environmental Variables Associated with Hantavirus Reservoirs and Other Small Rodent Species in Two National Parks in the Paraná Delta, Argentina: Implications for Disease Prevention.

    PubMed

    Vadell, María Victoria; Gómez Villafañe, Isabel Elisa

    2016-06-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe zoonotic disease caused by hantaviruses hosted in various rodents species. In Argentina, its transmission to humans has been associated to exposure during activities such as farming, recreation, and tourism which are carried out in wild and rural areas. The aim of this study was to analyze the macro- and micro-habitat use and spatio-temporal variation of small sylvan rodents in Pre Delta and Islas de Santa Fe national parks, located in an HPS-endemic area of Argentina. Rodent communities were studied at six sites: two islands, a riparian forest, an inland forest, a marsh, and the margins of a pond. A total of 453 individuals of five species were captured with a trapping effort of 9471 trap-nights. Maximum species richness was found at the marsh and the pond margin sites. Abundance of rodents was influenced by flooding events. Two hantavirus reservoirs, Oligoryzomys flavescens and Akodon azarae, were identified in the area. O. flavescens was captured in every habitat, but it was dominant in Islas de Santa Fe National Park where its abundance was strongly influenced by flooding. A. azarae was captured in every habitat except on the islands. A. azarae behaved as a generalist species at a micro-habitat scale in every habitat of Pre Delta National Park except for the marsh where it selected patches with low vegetation height. Based on these results, several disease prevention measures, including the use of rodent-proof containers for food, and keeping the grass short in the camp site, are proposed in order to reduce the risk to visitors and residents of contracting HPS.

  18. The Andes hantavirus NSs protein is expressed from the viral small mRNA by a leaky scanning mechanism.

    PubMed

    Vera-Otarola, Jorge; Solis, Loretto; Soto-Rifo, Ricardo; Ricci, Emiliano P; Pino, Karla; Tischler, Nicole D; Ohlmann, Théophile; Darlix, Jean-Luc; López-Lastra, Marcelo

    2012-02-01

    The small mRNA (SmRNA) of all Bunyaviridae encodes the nucleocapsid (N) protein. In 4 out of 5 genera in the Bunyaviridae, the smRNA encodes an additional nonstructural protein denominated NSs. In this study, we show that Andes hantavirus (ANDV) SmRNA encodes an NSs protein. Data show that the NSs protein is expressed in the context of an ANDV infection. Additionally, our results suggest that translation initiation from the NSs initiation codon is mediated by ribosomal subunits that have bypassed the upstream N protein initiation codon through a leaky scanning mechanism.

  19. Islet autoantibodies present in association with Ljungan virus infection in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) in northern Sweden.

    PubMed

    Warvsten, Anna; Björnfors, Martin; Arvidsson, Michael; Vaziri-Sani, Fariba; Jönsson, Ida; Olsson, Gert E; Ahlm, Clas; Larsson, Helena Elding; Lernmark, Åke; Nilsson, Anna-Lena

    2017-01-01

    Bank voles are known reservoirs for Puumala hantavirus and probably also for Ljungan virus (LV), a suggested candidate parechovirus in type 1 diabetes etiology and pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to determine whether wild bank voles had been exposed to LV and if exposure associated to autoantibodies against insulin (IAA), glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GADA), or islet autoantigen-2 (IA-2A). Serum samples from bank voles (Myodes glareolus) captured in early summer or early winter of 1997 and 1998, respectively, were analyzed in radio binding assays for antibodies against Ljungan virus (LVA) and Puumala virus (PUUVA) as well as for IAA, GADA, and IA-2A. LVA was found in 25% (189/752), IAA in 2.5% (18/723), GADA in 2.6% (15/615), and IA-2A in 2.5% (11/461) of available bank vole samples. LVA correlated with both IAA (P = 0.007) and GADA (P < 0.001), but not with IA-2A (P = 0.999). There were no correlations with PUUVA, detected in 17% of the bank voles. Compared to LVA negative bank voles, LVA positive animals had higher levels of both IAA (P = 0.002) and GADA (P < 0.001), but not of IA-2A (P = 0.205). Levels of LVA as well as IAA and GADA were higher in samples from bank voles captured in early summer. In conclusion, LVA was detected in bank voles and correlated with both IAA and GADA but not with IA-2A. These observations suggest that exposure to LV may be associated with islet autoimmunity. It remains to be determined if islet autoantibody positive bank voles may develop diabetes in the wild. J. Med. Virol. 89:24-31, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Experimental infections of wild bank voles (Myodes glareolus) from nephropatia epidemica endemic and non-endemic regions revealed slight differences in Puumala virological course and immunological responses.

    PubMed

    Dubois, Adélaïde; Castel, Guillaume; Murri, Séverine; Pulido, Coralie; Pons, Jean-Baptiste; Benoit, Laure; Loiseau, Anne; Lakhdar, Latifa; Galan, Maxime; Charbonnel, Nathalie; Marianneau, Philippe

    2017-05-02

    In Europe, the occurrence of nephropathia epidemica (NE), a human disease caused by Puumala virus (PUUV), exhibits considerable geographical heterogeneity despite the continuous distribution of its reservoir, the bank vole Myodes glareolus. To better understand the causes of this heterogeneity, wild voles sampled in two adjacent NE endemic and non-endemic regions of France were infected experimentally with PUUV. The responses of bank voles to PUUV infection, based on the levels of anti-PUUV IgG and viral RNA, were compared. Slight regional differences were highlighted despite the high inter-individual variability. Voles from the NE non-endemic region showed greater immune responsiveness to PUUV infection, but lower levels of RNA in their organs than voles from the endemic region. These results suggest the existence of regional variations in the sensitivity of bank voles that could contribute to the apparent absence of PUUV circulation among voles and the absence of NE in the non-endemic region. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. The Importance of Bank Vole Density and Rainy Winters in Predicting Nephropathia Epidemica Incidence in Northern Sweden

    PubMed Central

    Khalil, Hussein; Olsson, Gert; Ecke, Frauke; Evander, Magnus; Hjertqvist, Marika; Magnusson, Magnus; Löfvenius, Mikaell Ottosson; Hörnfeldt, Birger

    2014-01-01

    Pathogenic hantaviruses (family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus) are rodent-borne viruses causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Eurasia. In Europe, there are more than 10,000 yearly cases of nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of HFRS caused by Puumala virus (PUUV). The common and widely distributed bank vole (Myodes glareolus) is the host of PUUV. In this study, we aim to explain and predict NE incidence in boreal Sweden using bank vole densities. We tested whether the number of rainy days in winter contributed to variation in NE incidence. We forecast NE incidence in July 2013–June 2014 using projected autumn vole density, and then considering two climatic scenarios: 1) rain-free winter and 2) winter with many rainy days. Autumn vole density was a strong explanatory variable of NE incidence in boreal Sweden in 1990–2012 (R2 = 79%, p<0.001). Adding the number of rainy winter days improved the model (R2 = 84%, p<0.05). We report for the first time that risk of NE is higher in winters with many rainy days. Rain on snow and ground icing may block vole access to subnivean space. Seeking refuge from adverse conditions and shelter from predators, voles may infest buildings, increasing infection risk. In a rainy winter scenario, we predicted 812 NE cases in boreal Sweden, triple the number of cases predicted in a rain-free winter in 2013/2014. Our model enables identification of high risk years when preparedness in the public health sector is crucial, as a rainy winter would accentuate risk. PMID:25391132

  2. DNA vaccine-derived human IgG produced in transchromosomal bovines protect in lethal models of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Hooper, Jay W; Brocato, Rebecca L; Kwilas, Steven A; Hammerbeck, Christopher D; Josleyn, Matthew D; Royals, Michael; Ballantyne, John; Wu, Hua; Jiao, Jin-an; Matsushita, Hiroaki; Sullivan, Eddie J

    2014-11-26

    Polyclonal immunoglobulin-based medical products have been used successfully to treat diseases caused by viruses for more than a century. We demonstrate the use of DNA vaccine technology and transchromosomal bovines (TcBs) to produce fully human polyclonal immunoglobulins (IgG) with potent antiviral neutralizing activity. Specifically, two hantavirus DNA vaccines [Andes virus (ANDV) DNA vaccine and Sin Nombre virus (SNV) DNA vaccine] were used to produce a candidate immunoglobulin product for the prevention and treatment of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). A needle-free jet injection device was used to vaccinate TcB, and high-titer neutralizing antibodies (titers >1000) against both viruses were produced within 1 month. Plasma collected at day 10 after the fourth vaccination was used to produce purified α-HPS TcB human IgG. Treatment with 20,000 neutralizing antibody units (NAU)/kg starting 5 days after challenge with ANDV protected seven of eight animals, whereas zero of eight animals treated with the same dose of normal TcB human IgG survived. Likewise, treatment with 20,000 NAU/kg starting 5 days after challenge with SNV protected immunocompromised hamsters from lethal HPS, protecting five of eight animals. Our findings that the α-HPS TcB human IgG is capable of protecting in animal models of lethal HPS when administered after exposure provides proof of concept that this approach can be used to develop candidate next-generation polyclonal immunoglobulin-based medical products without the need for human donors, despeciation protocols, or inactivated/attenuated vaccine antigen. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

  3. The Andes Hantavirus NSs Protein Is Expressed from the Viral Small mRNA by a Leaky Scanning Mechanism

    PubMed Central

    Vera-Otarola, Jorge; Solis, Loretto; Soto-Rifo, Ricardo; Ricci, Emiliano P.; Pino, Karla; Tischler, Nicole D.; Ohlmann, Théophile; Darlix, Jean-Luc

    2012-01-01

    The small mRNA (SmRNA) of all Bunyaviridae encodes the nucleocapsid (N) protein. In 4 out of 5 genera in the Bunyaviridae, the smRNA encodes an additional nonstructural protein denominated NSs. In this study, we show that Andes hantavirus (ANDV) SmRNA encodes an NSs protein. Data show that the NSs protein is expressed in the context of an ANDV infection. Additionally, our results suggest that translation initiation from the NSs initiation codon is mediated by ribosomal subunits that have bypassed the upstream N protein initiation codon through a leaky scanning mechanism. PMID:22156529

  4. The role of endothelial activation in dengue hemorrhagic fever and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Spiropoulou, Christina F; Srikiatkhachorn, Anon

    2013-08-15

    The loss of the endothelium barrier and vascular leakage play a central role in the pathogenesis of hemorrhagic fever viruses. This can be caused either directly by the viral infection and damage of the vascular endothelium, or indirectly by a dysregulated immune response resulting in an excessive activation of the endothelium. This article briefly reviews our knowledge of the importance of the disruption of the vascular endothelial barrier in two severe disease syndromes, dengue hemorrhagic fever and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Both viruses cause changes in vascular permeability without damaging the endothelium. Here we focus on our understanding of the virus interaction with the endothelium, the role of the endothelium in the induced pathogenesis, and the possible mechanisms by which each virus causes vascular leakage. Understanding the dynamics between viral infection and the dysregulation of the endothelial cell barrier will help us to define potential therapeutic targets for reducing disease severity.

  5. The role of endothelial activation in dengue hemorrhagic fever and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Spiropoulou, Christina F; Srikiatkhachorn, Anon

    2013-01-01

    The loss of the endothelium barrier and vascular leakage play a central role in the pathogenesis of hemorrhagic fever viruses. This can be caused either directly by the viral infection and damage of the vascular endothelium, or indirectly by a dysregulated immune response resulting in an excessive activation of the endothelium. This article briefly reviews our knowledge of the importance of the disruption of the vascular endothelial barrier in two severe disease syndromes, dengue hemorrhagic fever and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Both viruses cause changes in vascular permeability without damaging the endothelium. Here we focus on our understanding of the virus interaction with the endothelium, the role of the endothelium in the induced pathogenesis, and the possible mechanisms by which each virus causes vascular leakage. Understanding the dynamics between viral infection and the dysregulation of the endothelial cell barrier will help us to define potential therapeutic targets for reducing disease severity. PMID:23841977

  6. DNA vaccine-generated duck polyclonal antibodies as a postexposure prophylactic to prevent hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).

    PubMed

    Brocato, Rebecca; Josleyn, Matthew; Ballantyne, John; Vial, Pablo; Hooper, Jay W

    2012-01-01

    Andes virus (ANDV) is the predominant cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in South America and the only hantavirus known to be transmitted person-to-person. There are no vaccines, prophylactics, or therapeutics to prevent or treat this highly pathogenic disease (case-fatality 35-40%). Infection of Syrian hamsters with ANDV results in a disease that closely mimics human HPS in incubation time, symptoms of respiratory distress, and disease pathology. Here, we evaluated the feasibility of two postexposure prophylaxis strategies in the ANDV/hamster lethal disease model. First, we evaluated a natural product, human polyclonal antibody, obtained as fresh frozen plasma (FFP) from a HPS survivor. Second, we used DNA vaccine technology to manufacture a polyclonal immunoglobulin-based product that could be purified from the eggs of vaccinated ducks (Anas platyrhynchos). The natural "despeciation" of the duck IgY (i.e., Fc removed) results in an immunoglobulin predicted to be minimally reactogenic in humans. Administration of ≥ 5,000 neutralizing antibody units (NAU)/kg of FFP-protected hamsters from lethal disease when given up to 8 days after intranasal ANDV challenge. IgY/IgYΔFc antibodies purified from the eggs of DNA-vaccinated ducks effectively neutralized ANDV in vitro as measured by plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT). Administration of 12,000 NAU/kg of duck egg-derived IgY/IgYΔFc protected hamsters when administered up to 8 days after intranasal challenge and 5 days after intramuscular challenge. These experiments demonstrate that convalescent FFP shows promise as a postexposure HPS prophylactic. Moreover, these data demonstrate the feasibility of using DNA vaccine technology coupled with the duck/egg system to manufacture a product that could supplement or replace FFP. The DNA vaccine-duck/egg system can be scaled as needed and obviates the necessity of using limited blood products obtained from a small number of HPS survivors. This is the

  7. Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Muridae, Sigmodontinae, Oryzomini), the natural reservoir of genotype Andes hantavirus.

    PubMed

    González-Ittig, Raúl E; Salazar-Bravo, Jorge; Polop, Jaime J; Gardenal, Cristina N

    2008-11-01

    The rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus or long-tailed pygmy rice rat is the reservoir of the aetiological agent of the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in southern Argentina and Chile. We characterize 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci which would be useful for studies on microgeographical population structure in the species. Amplification of these loci in 42 individuals from four natural populations revealed four to 21 alleles per locus, and values of observed heterozygosities ranging from 0.371 to 0.896. Cross-species amplifications showed that some of the primers designed may be useful for other species of the genus Oligoryzomys. © 2008 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  8. The relative abundance of deer mice with antibody to Sin Nombre virus corresponds to the occurrence of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in nearby humans.

    PubMed

    Calisher, Charles H; Mills, James N; Root, Jon Jeffrey; Doty, Jeffrey B; Beaty, Barry J

    2011-05-01

    Sin Nombre virus (SNV) is the principal cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the United States and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are its principal rodent host, and thus the natural cycle of the virus is related to the occurrence of HPS. Prevalence of rodent infection appears to be associated with fluctuations in deer mouse populations and, indirectly, with timing and amount of precipitation, a complex of biologic events. Given that rodent population abundances fluctuate, often acutely, it is not unreasonable to assume a direct correlation between the numbers of infected rodents and the number of human infections, unless confounding factors are involved. During a 13-year longitudinal study at a site in southwestern Colorado, we accumulated data regarding deer mice and antibody to SNV and therefore had the opportunity to compare dynamics of deer mouse populations, seroprevalence of antibody to SNV in the rodents, and numbers of HPS cases in Durango and in the State of Colorado as a whole. If abundances of deer mouse populations are directly correlated with occurrence of HPS, it is reasonable to assume that low densities of deer mice and low prevalences of antibody to SNV would lead to fewer human cases than would high densities and high prevalences. Our results substantiate such an assumption and suggest that the risk of acquisition of HPS is likely related to both high numbers of infected deer mice and human activities, rather than being strictly related to prevalence of SNV in the host rodent.

  9. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome: prognostic factors for death in reported cases in Brazil.

    PubMed

    da Rosa Elkhoury, Mauro; da Silva Mendes, Wellington; Waldman, Eliseu Alves; Dias, Juarez Pereira; Carmo, Eduardo Hage; Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos, Pedro

    2012-05-01

    Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) was described for the first time in Brazil in 1993 and has occurred endemically throughout the country. This study analysed clinical and laboratory aspects as well as death-related factors for HPS cases in Brazil from 1993 to 2006. The investigation comprised a descriptive and exploratory study of the history of cases as well as an analytical retrospective cohort survey to identify prognostic factors for death due to HPS. A total of 855 Brazilian HPS cases were assessed. The majority of cases occurred during spring (33.5%) and winter (27.6%), mainly among young male adults working in rural areas. The global case fatality rate was 39.3%. The mean interval between the onset of symptoms and hospitalisation was 4 days and that between hospitalisation and death was 1 day. In the multiple regression analysis, adult respiratory distress syndrome and mechanical respiratory support were associated with risk of death; when these two variables were excluded from the model, dyspnoea and haemoconcentration were associated with a higher risk of death. Copyright © 2012 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. [Geographic expansion of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in Argentina. The southernest case report].

    PubMed

    Bellomo, Carla; Nudelman, Julio; Kwaszka, Roberto; Vazquez, Gabriela; Cantoni, Gustavo; Weinzettel, Barbara; Larrieu, Edmundo G; Padula, Paula

    2009-01-01

    Since 1995 more than 1000 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) were reported in Argentina, a severe disease and often fatal to humans. Most cases were associated with Andes virus (AND) that caused few events of person-to-person transmission. Several lineages of pathogenic AND viruses have been described, including AND South, hosted by the rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus which affects the Patagonian region of Argentina and Chile. We studied the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of a HPS case. The objective was to describe the clinical presentation of the case, its epidemiology, the likely site of infection, the viral variant implicated and its relationship with the closest reported cases. We carried out the clinical follow up, serological and molecular diagnosis and the epidemiological research, including a rodent reservoir study. The clinical presentation of the case was the classical and moderate, caused by AND South virus. Its viral nucleotide sequence was compared with cases from Southern Argentina and Chile. This case was found to be the most Southern (48 degrees 46' 1.2'' S; 70 degrees 15' O) case reported and involved a new Argentinean province.

  11. A non-randomized multicentre trial of human immune plasma for treatment of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome caused by Andes virus.

    PubMed

    Vial, Pablo A; Valdivieso, Francisca; Calvo, Mario; Rioseco, M Luisa; Riquelme, Raul; Araneda, Andres; Tomicic, Vinko; Graf, Jerónimo; Paredes, Laura; Florenzano, Matias; Bidart, Teresa; Cuiza, Analia; Marco, Claudia; Hjelle, Brian; Ye, Chunyan; Hanfelt-Goade, Diane; Vial, Cecilia; Rivera, Juan C; Delgado, Iris; Mertz, Gregory J

    2015-01-01

    In Chile, Andes virus (ANDV) is the sole aetiological agent of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) with mean annual incidence of 55 cases, 32% case fatality rate (CFR) and no specific treatment. Neutralizing antibody (NAb) titres at hospital admission correlate inversely with HCPS severity. We designed an open trial to explore safety and efficacy and evaluate pharmacokinetics of immune plasma as a treatment strategy for this disease. We performed plasmapheresis on donors at least 6 months after HCPS and measured NAb titres through a focus-reduction neutralization test. Subjects admitted to 10 study sites with suspected/confirmed HCPS were eligible for treatment with immune plasma by intravenous infusion at an ANDV NAb dose of 5,000 U/kg. HCPS was confirmed through immunoglobulin M serology or reverse transcriptase-PCR. The main outcome was mortality within 30 days. From 2008-2012, we enrolled and treated 32 cases and confirmed HCPS in 29. CFR of hantavirus plasma-treated cases was 4/29 (14%); CFR of non-treated cases in the same period in Chile was 63/199 (32%; P=0.049, OR=0.35, CI=0.12, 0.99); CFR of non-treated cases at the same study sites between 2005-2012 was 18/66 (27%; (P=0.15, OR=0.43, CI=0.14, 1.34) and CFR in a previous methylprednisolone treatment study was 20/60 (33%; P=0.052, OR=0.32, CI=0.10, 1.00). We detected no serious adverse events associated to plasma infusion. Plasma NAb titres reached in recipients were variable and viral load remained stable. Human ANDV immune plasma infusion appears safe for HCPS. We observed a decrease in CFR in treated cases with borderline significance that will require further studies for confirmation.

  12. Beech Fructification and Bank Vole Population Dynamics - Combined Analyses of Promoters of Human Puumala Virus Infections in Germany

    PubMed Central

    Reil, Daniela; Imholt, Christian; Eccard, Jana Anja; Jacob, Jens

    2015-01-01

    The transmission of wildlife zoonoses to humans depends, amongst others, on complex interactions of host population ecology and pathogen dynamics within host populations. In Europe, the Puumala virus (PUUV) causes nephropathia epidemica in humans. In this study we investigated complex interrelations within the epidemic system of PUUV and its rodent host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). We suggest that beech fructification and bank vole abundance are both decisive factors affecting human PUUV infections. While rodent host dynamics are expected to be directly linked to human PUUV infections, beech fructification is a rather indirect predictor by serving as food source for PUUV rodent hosts. Furthermore, we examined the dependence of bank vole abundance on beech fructification. We analysed a 12-year (2001-2012) time series of the parameters: beech fructification (as food resource for the PUUV host), bank vole abundance and human incidences from 7 Federal States of Germany. For the first time, we could show the direct interrelation between these three parameters involved in human PUUV epidemics and we were able to demonstrate on a large scale that human PUUV infections are highly correlated with bank vole abundance in the present year, as well as beech fructification in the previous year. By using beech fructification and bank vole abundance as predictors in one model we significantly improved the degree of explanation of human PUUV incidence. Federal State was included as random factor because human PUUV incidence varies considerably among states. Surprisingly, the effect of rodent abundance on human PUUV infections is less strong compared to the indirect effect of beech fructification. Our findings are useful to facilitate the development of predictive models for host population dynamics and the related PUUV infection risk for humans and can be used for plant protection and human health protection purposes. PMID:26214509

  13. Beech Fructification and Bank Vole Population Dynamics--Combined Analyses of Promoters of Human Puumala Virus Infections in Germany.

    PubMed

    Reil, Daniela; Imholt, Christian; Eccard, Jana Anja; Jacob, Jens

    2015-01-01

    The transmission of wildlife zoonoses to humans depends, amongst others, on complex interactions of host population ecology and pathogen dynamics within host populations. In Europe, the Puumala virus (PUUV) causes nephropathia epidemica in humans. In this study we investigated complex interrelations within the epidemic system of PUUV and its rodent host, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). We suggest that beech fructification and bank vole abundance are both decisive factors affecting human PUUV infections. While rodent host dynamics are expected to be directly linked to human PUUV infections, beech fructification is a rather indirect predictor by serving as food source for PUUV rodent hosts. Furthermore, we examined the dependence of bank vole abundance on beech fructification. We analysed a 12-year (2001-2012) time series of the parameters: beech fructification (as food resource for the PUUV host), bank vole abundance and human incidences from 7 Federal States of Germany. For the first time, we could show the direct interrelation between these three parameters involved in human PUUV epidemics and we were able to demonstrate on a large scale that human PUUV infections are highly correlated with bank vole abundance in the present year, as well as beech fructification in the previous year. By using beech fructification and bank vole abundance as predictors in one model we significantly improved the degree of explanation of human PUUV incidence. Federal State was included as random factor because human PUUV incidence varies considerably among states. Surprisingly, the effect of rodent abundance on human PUUV infections is less strong compared to the indirect effect of beech fructification. Our findings are useful to facilitate the development of predictive models for host population dynamics and the related PUUV infection risk for humans and can be used for plant protection and human health protection purposes.

  14. Hantavirus Gc induces long-term immune protection via LAMP-targeting DNA vaccine strategy.

    PubMed

    Jiang, Dong-Bo; Zhang, Jin-Peng; Cheng, Lin-Feng; Zhang, Guan-Wen; Li, Yun; Li, Zi-Chao; Lu, Zhen-Hua; Zhang, Zi-Xin; Lu, Yu-Chen; Zheng, Lian-He; Zhang, Fang-Lin; Yang, Kun

    2018-02-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) occurs widely throughout Eurasia. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment, and prophylaxis remains the best option against the major pathogenic agent, hantaan virus (HTNV), which is an Old World hantavirus. However, the absence of cellular immune responses and immunological memory hampers acceptance of the current inactivated HFRS vaccine. Previous studies revealed that a lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1)-targeting strategy involving a DNA vaccine based on the HTNV glycoprotein Gn successfully conferred long-term immunity, and indicated that further research on Gc, another HTNV antigen, was warranted. Plasmids encoding Gc and lysosome-targeted Gc, designated pVAX-Gc and pVAX-LAMP/Gc, respectively, were constructed. Proteins of interest were identified by fluorescence microscopy following cell line transfection. Five groups of 20 female BALB/c mice were subjected to the following inoculations: inactivated HTNV vaccine, pVAX-LAMP/Gc, pVAX-Gc, and, as the negative controls, pVAX-LAMP or the blank vector pVAX1. Humoral and cellular immunity were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and 15-mer peptide enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot) epitope mapping assays. Repeated immunization with pVAX-LAMP/Gc enhanced adaptive immune responses, as demonstrated by the specific and neutralizing antibody titers and increased IFN-γ production. The inactivated vaccine induced a comparable humoral reaction, but the negative controls only elicited insignificant responses. Using a mouse model of HTNV challenge, the in vivo protection conferred by the inactivated vaccine and Gc-based constructs (with/without LAMP recombination) was confirmed. Evidence of pan-epitope reactions highlighted the long-term cellular response to the LAMP-targeting strategy, and histological observations indicated the safety of the LAMP-targeting vaccines. The long-term protective immune responses induced by pVAX-LAMP/Gc may be

  15. Placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of intravenous ribavirin for the treatment of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in North America.

    PubMed

    Mertz, Gregory J; Miedzinski, Lil; Goade, Diane; Pavia, Andrew T; Hjelle, Brian; Hansbarger, Christine O; Levy, Howard; Koster, Frederick T; Baum, Kenneth; Lindemulder, Adeline; Wang, Wenquan; Riser, Laura; Fernandez, Humberto; Whitley, Richard J

    2004-11-01

    BACKGROUND. Ribavirin is active in vitro against hantaviruses, but the findings of an open trial of the use of intravenous ribavirin for the treatment of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) were inconclusive. Subjects with suspected HCPS in the prodrome or cardiopulmonary phase but without shock were eligible for randomization to receive either intravenous ribavirin (33 mg/kg [

  16. Role of mixed Th1 and Th2 serum cytokines on pathogenesis and prognosis of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

    PubMed

    Borges, Alessandra Abel; Campos, Gelse Mazzoni; Moreli, Marcos Lázaro; Moro Souza, Ricardo Luiz; Saggioro, Fabiano Pinto; Figueiredo, Glauciane Garcia; Livonesi, Márcia Cristina; Moraes Figueiredo, Luiz Tadeu

    2008-01-01

    The hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is an emerging syndrome in the Americas. The disease results from intense immune activation and changes in vascular permeability. The aim of this study was to determine the profile of serum cytokines in HPS patients looking for correlation with the clinical parameters, severity and outcome of illness. Studying 21 HPS patients, we found that IL-6 may have an important role in the pathogenesis of HPS, being associated with fatal outcome. Our results also support a mixed Th1/Th2 immune response during the course of HPS and that the magnitude of Th1 response effector cytokines is correlated to HPS severity. The decreased levels of TGF-beta observed in HPS patients suggest that immunoregulatory activity could be damaged in these patients.

  17. Declining ecosystem health and the dilution effect.

    PubMed

    Khalil, Hussein; Ecke, Frauke; Evander, Magnus; Magnusson, Magnus; Hörnfeldt, Birger

    2016-08-08

    The "dilution effect" implies that where species vary in susceptibility to infection by a pathogen, higher diversity often leads to lower infection prevalence in hosts. For directly transmitted pathogens, non-host species may "dilute" infection directly (1) and indirectly (2). Competitors and predators may (1) alter host behavior to reduce pathogen transmission or (2) reduce host density. In a well-studied system, we tested the dilution of the zoonotic Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) by two competitors and a predator. Our study was based on long-term PUUV infection data (2003-2013) in northern Sweden. The field vole (Microtus agrestis) and the common shrew (Sorex araneus) are bank vole competitors and Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) is a main predator of bank voles. Infection probability in bank voles decreased when common shrew density increased, suggesting that common shrews reduced PUUV transmission. Field voles suppressed bank vole density in meadows and clear-cuts and indirectly diluted PUUV infection. Further, Tengmalm's owl decline in 1980-2013 may have contributed to higher PUUV infection rates in bank voles in 2003-2013 compared to 1979-1986. Our study provides further evidence for dilution effect and suggests that owls may have an important role in reducing disease risk.

  18. Molecular Diagnostics of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome during a Dobrava Virus Infection Outbreak in the European Part of Russia ▿

    PubMed Central

    Dzagurova, Tamara K.; Klempa, Boris; Tkachenko, Evgeniy A.; Slyusareva, Galina P.; Morozov, Vyacheslav G.; Auste, Brita; Kruger, Detlev H.

    2009-01-01

    A large outbreak of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) occurred in the winter of 2006-2007 in a region southeast of Moscow in Central European Russia. Of the 422 patients with HFRS investigated in this study, 58 patients were found to be infected by Puumala virus, whereas as many as 364 were infected by Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV). Early serum samples from 10 DOBV-infected patients were used for nucleic acid amplification, which was successful for 5 patients. Molecular analyses demonstrated that the causative hantavirus belongs to the DOBV-Aa genetic lineage, which is carried by the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) as the natural reservoir host. Neutralization assays with convalescent-phase sera from these patients confirmed infection by DOBV-Aa; related viruses, such as the Dobrava-Slovenia virus (DOBV-Af) and the Dobrava-Sochi virus (DOBV-Ap), were neutralized at lower efficiencies. The clinical courses of the 205 patients enrolled in the study were found to be mostly mild to moderate; however, an unexpectedly high fraction (27%) of patients exhibited severe illness. One patient died from kidney failure and showed symptoms of generalized subcutaneous hemorrhage. The results provide molecular, serodiagnostic, and clinical evidence that DOBV-Aa is a common pathogen in East Europe that causes large outbreaks of HFRS. PMID:19828747

  19. Quantifying the past and future impact of climate on outbreak patterns of bank voles (Myodes glareolus).

    PubMed

    Imholt, Christian; Reil, Daniela; Eccard, Jana A; Jacob, Daniela; Hempelmann, Nils; Jacob, Jens

    2015-02-01

    Central European outbreak populations of the bank vole (Myodes glareolus Schreber) are known to cause damage in forestry and to transmit the most common type of Hantavirus (Puumala virus, PUUV) to humans. A sound estimation of potential effects of future climate scenarios on population dynamics is a prerequisite for long-term management strategies. Historic abundance time series were used to identify the key weather conditions associated with bank vole abundance, and were extrapolated to future climate scenarios to derive potential long-term changes in bank vole abundance dynamics. Classification and regression tree analysis revealed the most relevant weather parameters associated with high and low bank vole abundances. Summer temperatures 2 years prior to trapping had the highest impact on abundance fluctuation. Extrapolation of the identified parameters to future climate conditions revealed an increase in years with high vole abundance. Key weather patterns associated with vole abundance reflect the importance of superabundant food supply through masting to the occurrence of bank vole outbreaks. Owing to changing climate, these outbreaks are predicted potentially to increase in frequency 3-4-fold by the end of this century. This may negatively affect damage patterns in forestry and the risk of human PUUV infection in the long term. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  20. Declining ecosystem health and the dilution effect

    PubMed Central

    Khalil, Hussein; Ecke, Frauke; Evander, Magnus; Magnusson, Magnus; Hörnfeldt, Birger

    2016-01-01

    The “dilution effect” implies that where species vary in susceptibility to infection by a pathogen, higher diversity often leads to lower infection prevalence in hosts. For directly transmitted pathogens, non-host species may “dilute” infection directly (1) and indirectly (2). Competitors and predators may (1) alter host behavior to reduce pathogen transmission or (2) reduce host density. In a well-studied system, we tested the dilution of the zoonotic Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) by two competitors and a predator. Our study was based on long-term PUUV infection data (2003–2013) in northern Sweden. The field vole (Microtus agrestis) and the common shrew (Sorex araneus) are bank vole competitors and Tengmalm’s owl (Aegolius funereus) is a main predator of bank voles. Infection probability in bank voles decreased when common shrew density increased, suggesting that common shrews reduced PUUV transmission. Field voles suppressed bank vole density in meadows and clear-cuts and indirectly diluted PUUV infection. Further, Tengmalm’s owl decline in 1980–2013 may have contributed to higher PUUV infection rates in bank voles in 2003–2013 compared to 1979–1986. Our study provides further evidence for dilution effect and suggests that owls may have an important role in reducing disease risk. PMID:27499001

  1. Bank vole immunoheterogeneity may limit Nephropatia Epidemica emergence in a French non-endemic region.

    PubMed

    Dubois, A; Castel, G; Murri, S; Pulido, C; Pons, J-B; Benoit, L; Loiseau, A; Lakhdar, L; Galan, M; Marianneau, P; Charbonnel, N

    2018-03-01

    Ecoevolutionary processes affecting hosts, vectors and pathogens are important drivers of zoonotic disease emergence. In this study, we focused on nephropathia epidemica (NE), which is caused by Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) whose natural reservoir is the bank vole, Myodes glareolus. We questioned the possibility of NE emergence in a French region that is considered to be NE-free but that is adjacent to a NE-endemic region. We first confirmed the epidemiology of these two regions and we demonstrated the absence of spatial barriers that could have limited dispersal, and consequently, the spread of PUUV into the NE-free region. We next tested whether regional immunoheterogeneity could impact PUUV chances to circulate and persist in the NE-free region. We showed that bank voles from the NE-free region were sensitive to experimental PUUV infection. We observed high levels of immunoheterogeneity between individuals and also between regions. Antiviral gene expression (Tnf and Mx2) reached higher levels in bank voles from the NE-free region. During experimental infections, anti-PUUV antibody production was higher in bank voles from the NE-endemic region. These results indicated a lower susceptibility to PUUV for bank voles from this NE-free region, which might limit PUUV persistence and therefore, the risk of NE.

  2. Numerical solution of a spatio-temporal gender-structured model for hantavirus infection in rodents.

    PubMed

    Bürger, Raimund; Chowell, Gerardo; Gavilán, Elvis; Mulet, Pep; Villada, Luis M

    2018-02-01

    In this article we describe the transmission dynamics of hantavirus in rodents using a spatio-temporal susceptible-exposed-infective-recovered (SEIR) compartmental model that distinguishes between male and female subpopulations [L.J.S. Allen, R.K. McCormack and C.B. Jonsson, Bull. Math. Biol. 68 (2006), 511--524]. Both subpopulations are assumed to differ in their movement with respect to local variations in the densities of their own and the opposite gender group. Three alternative models for the movement of the male individuals are examined. In some cases the movement is not only directed by the gradient of a density (as in the standard diffusive case), but also by a non-local convolution of density values as proposed, in another context, in [R.M. Colombo and E. Rossi, Commun. Math. Sci., 13 (2015), 369--400]. An efficient numerical method for the resulting convection-diffusion-reaction system of partial differential equations is proposed. This method involves techniques of weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) reconstructions in combination with implicit-explicit Runge-Kutta (IMEX-RK) methods for time stepping. The numerical results demonstrate significant differences in the spatio-temporal behavior predicted by the different models, which suggest future research directions.

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

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Hong; Huang, Ru; Gao, Li-Dong; Huang, Cun-Rui; Lin, Xiao-Ling; Li, Na; Liu, Hai-Ning; Tong, Shi-Lu; Tian, Huai-Yu

    2016-01-01

    Infection rates of rodents have a significant influence on the transmission of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). In this study, four cities and two counties with high HFRS incidence in eastern Hunan Province in China were studied, and surveillance data of rodents, as well as HFRS cases and related environmental variables from 2007 to 2010, were collected. Results indicate that the distribution and infection rates of rodents are closely associated with environmental conditions. Hantavirus infections in rodents were positively correlated with temperature vegetation dryness index and negatively correlated with elevation. The predictive risk maps based on multivariate regression model revealed that the annual variation of infection risks is small, whereas monthly variation is large and corresponded well to the seasonal variation of human HFRS incidence. The identification of risk factors and risk prediction provides decision support for rodent surveillance and the prevention and control of HFRS. PMID:26711521

  4. Andes Hantavirus-Infection of a 3D Human Lung Tissue Model Reveals a Late Peak in Progeny Virus Production Followed by Increased Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines and VEGF-A

    PubMed Central

    Sundström, Karin B.; Nguyen Hoang, Anh Thu; Gupta, Shawon; Ahlm, Clas; Svensson, Mattias; Klingström, Jonas

    2016-01-01

    Andes virus (ANDV) causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe acute disease with a 40% case fatality rate. Humans are infected via inhalation, and the lungs are severely affected during HPS, but little is known regarding the effects of ANDV-infection of the lung. Using a 3-dimensional air-exposed organotypic human lung tissue model, we analyzed progeny virus production and cytokine-responses after ANDV-infection. After a 7–10 day period of low progeny virus production, a sudden peak in progeny virus levels was observed during approximately one week. This peak in ANDV-production coincided in time with activation of innate immune responses, as shown by induction of type I and III interferons and ISG56. After the peak in ANDV production a low, but stable, level of ANDV progeny was observed until 39 days after infection. Compared to uninfected models, ANDV caused long-term elevated levels of eotaxin-1, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and VEGF-A that peaked 20–25 days after infection, i.e., after the observed peak in progeny virus production. Notably, eotaxin-1 was only detected in supernatants from infected models. In conclusion, these findings suggest that ANDV replication in lung tissue elicits a late proinflammatory immune response with possible long-term effects on the local lung cytokine milieu. The change from an innate to a proinflammatory response might be important for the transition from initial asymptomatic infection to severe clinical disease, HPS. PMID:26907493

  5. Andes Hantavirus-Infection of a 3D Human Lung Tissue Model Reveals a Late Peak in Progeny Virus Production Followed by Increased Levels of Proinflammatory Cytokines and VEGF-A.

    PubMed

    Sundström, Karin B; Nguyen Hoang, Anh Thu; Gupta, Shawon; Ahlm, Clas; Svensson, Mattias; Klingström, Jonas

    2016-01-01

    Andes virus (ANDV) causes hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a severe acute disease with a 40% case fatality rate. Humans are infected via inhalation, and the lungs are severely affected during HPS, but little is known regarding the effects of ANDV-infection of the lung. Using a 3-dimensional air-exposed organotypic human lung tissue model, we analyzed progeny virus production and cytokine-responses after ANDV-infection. After a 7-10 day period of low progeny virus production, a sudden peak in progeny virus levels was observed during approximately one week. This peak in ANDV-production coincided in time with activation of innate immune responses, as shown by induction of type I and III interferons and ISG56. After the peak in ANDV production a low, but stable, level of ANDV progeny was observed until 39 days after infection. Compared to uninfected models, ANDV caused long-term elevated levels of eotaxin-1, IL-6, IL-8, IP-10, and VEGF-A that peaked 20-25 days after infection, i.e., after the observed peak in progeny virus production. Notably, eotaxin-1 was only detected in supernatants from infected models. In conclusion, these findings suggest that ANDV replication in lung tissue elicits a late proinflammatory immune response with possible long-term effects on the local lung cytokine milieu. The change from an innate to a proinflammatory response might be important for the transition from initial asymptomatic infection to severe clinical disease, HPS.

  6. Andes Virus M Genome Segment is Not Sufficient to Confer the Virulence Associated With Andres Virus in Syrian Hamsters

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-01-01

    Hantavirus ; Reassortant; Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome ; HamsterIntroduction Hantaviruses are members of the Bunyaviridae...Andes virus (ANDV), members of the genus Hantavirus , in the family Bunyaviridae, are causative agents of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in North and...in humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) (Lee et al., 1982; Nichol et al., 1993). Almost

  7. [Genetic susceptibility to Andes Hantavirus: Association between severity of disease and HLA alíeles in Chilean patients].

    PubMed

    Ferrer C, Pablo; Vial C, Pablo A; Ferrés G, Marcela; Godoy M, Paula; Culza V, Analla; Marco C, Claudia; Castillo H, Constanza; Umaña C, María Elena; Rothhammer E, Francisco; Llop R, Elena

    2007-10-01

    Andes hantavirus (ANDV) infection in Chile has a variable clinical expression, and infected individuals may present with different grades of disease severity. This study aimed to determine if clinical expression of ANDV infection in Chilean patients is associated with the HLA system. HLA alíeles A, B, DRB1 and DQB1, were studied in two groups of patients with confirmed ANDV infection: 41 patients with a mild disease course (without respiratory failure and cardiovascular shock) and 46 patients with a severe disease course (with respiratory failure and shock). Molecular typing of HLA system was performed by SSP-PCR. The HLA-DRB 1*15 alíele, was significantly more common in the group of patients with mild disease (p = 0,007) and thus for possibly associated with a protective effect against ANDV infection. Conversely, HLA-B*08 was more common in patients with severe disease (p = 0,06). Although the association was marginally significant, alíele HLA-B*08 may be linked to an increased susceptibility to the severe clinical course of HCPS by ANDV.

  8. A hantavirus causing hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome requires gC1qR/p32 for efficient cell binding and infection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Choi, Yun; Kwon, Young-Chan; Kim, Soo-In

    Hantaan virus (HTNV) is a pathogenic hantavirus that causes hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). HTNV infection is mediated by {alpha}v{beta}3 integrin. We used protein blots of Vero E6 cell homogenates to demonstrate that radiolabeled HTNV virions bind to gC1qR/p32, the acidic 32-kDa protein known as the receptor for the globular head domain of complement C1q. RNAi-mediated suppression of gC1qR/p32 markedly reduced HTNV binding and infection in human lung epithelial A549 cells. Conversely, transient expression of either simian or human gC1qR/p32 rendered non-permissive CHO cells susceptible to HTNV infection. These results suggest an important role for gC1qR/p32 in HTNV infectionmore » and pathogenesis.« less

  9. Imaging of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: a potential bioterrorism agent of military significance.

    PubMed

    Bui-Mansfield, Liem T; Cressler, Dana K

    2011-11-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a potentially fatal infectious disease with worldwide distribution. Its etiologic agents are viruses of the genus Hantavirus of the virus family Bunyaviridae. Hypothetical ease of production and distribution of these agents, with their propensity to incapacitate victims and overwhelm health care resources, lend themselves as significant potential biological agents of terrorism. HFRS has protean clinical manifestations, which may mimic upper respiratory tract infection, nephrolithiasis, and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and may delay proper treatment. Sequelae of HFRS, such as hemorrhage, acute renal failure, retroperitoneal edema, pancreatitis, pulmonary edema, and neurologic symptoms, can be detected by different imaging modalities. Medical providers caring for HFRS patients must be aware of its radiologic features, which may help to confirm its clinical diagnosis. In this article, the authors review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and complications of HFRS.

  10. Immune Serum Produced by DNA Vaccination Protects Hamsters against Lethal Respiratory Challenge with Andes Virus

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-02-01

    responses in the hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. J. Infect. Dis. 182:43–48. 3. Butler, J. C., and C. J. Peters. 1994. Hantaviruses and hantavirus ...November 2007 Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a highly pathogenic disease (40% case fatality rate) carried by rodents chronically infected with...certain viruses within the genus Hantavirus of the family Bunyaviridae. The primary mode of transmission to humans is thought to be inhalation of excreta

  11. Ribavirin protects Syrian hamsters against lethal hantavirus pulmonary syndrome--after intranasal exposure to Andes virus.

    PubMed

    Ogg, Monica; Jonsson, Colleen B; Camp, Jeremy V; Hooper, Jay W

    2013-11-08

    Andes virus, ANDV, harbored by wild rodents, causes the highly lethal hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) upon transmission to humans resulting in death in 30% to 50% of the cases. As there is no treatment for this disease, we systematically tested the efficacy of ribavirin in vitro and in an animal model. In vitro assays confirmed antiviral activity and determined that the most effective doses were 40 µg/mL and above. We tested three different concentrations of ribavirin for their capability to prevent HPS in the ANDV hamster model following an intranasal challenge. While the highest level of ribavirin (200 mg/kg) was toxic to the hamster, both the middle (100 mg/kg) and the lowest concentration (50 mg/kg) prevented HPS in hamsters without toxicity. Specifically, 8 of 8 hamsters survived intranasal challenge for both of those groups whereas 7 of 8 PBS control-treated animals developed lethal HPS. Further, we report that administration of ribavirin at 50 mg/kg/day starting on days 6, 8, 10, or 12 post-infection resulted in significant protection against HPS in all groups. Administration of ribavirin at 14 days post-infection also provided a significant level of protection against lethal HPS. These data provide in vivo evidence supporting the potential use of ribavirin as a post-exposure treatment to prevent HPS after exposure by the respiratory route.

  12. Novel Strain of Andes Virus Associated with Fatal Human Infection, Central Bolivia

    PubMed Central

    Cruz, Cristhopher D.; Vallejo, Efrain; Agudo, Roberto; Vargas, Jorge; Blazes, David L.; Guevara, Carolina; Laguna-Torres, V. Alberto; Halsey, Eric S.; Kochel, Tadeusz J.

    2012-01-01

    To better describe the genetic diversity of hantaviruses associated with human illness in South America, we screened blood samples from febrile patients in Chapare Province in central Bolivia during 2008–2009 for recent hantavirus infection. Hantavirus RNA was detected in 3 patients, including 1 who died. Partial RNA sequences of small and medium segments from the 3 patients were most closely related to Andes virus lineages but distinct (<90% nt identity) from reported strains. A survey for IgG against hantaviruses among residents of Chapare Province indicated that 12.2% of the population had past exposure to >1 hantaviruses; the highest prevalence was among agricultural workers. Because of the high level of human exposure to hantavirus strains and the severity of resulting disease, additional studies are warranted to determine the reservoirs, ecologic range, and public health effect of this novel strain of hantavirus. PMID:22515983

  13. Human Dobrava-Belgrade hantavirus infection, Kosovo.

    PubMed

    Emmerich, Petra; Müller, Nicole; Heinemann, Patrick; Rother, Enno; Jakupi, Xhevat; Günther, Stephan; Cadar, Daniel; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas

    2014-11-01

    Here we describe an acute Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV) infection that presented as severe hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in an active-duty U.S. soldier. The infection was acquired in northern Kosovo in spring 2013. Amplification of DOBV genome segments directly from the patient's serum sample was successfully performed. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the strain belong to DOBV genotype Dobrava and is closely related to strains circulating in Southeast Europe and Slovakia. Thus, our case confirms that DOBV genotype Dobrava is able to cause a severe form of HFRS, especially when compared to the other less pathogenic DOBV genotypes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Simultaneous detection of IgG antibodies associated with viral hemorrhagic fever by a multiplexed Luminex-based immunoassay.

    PubMed

    Wu, Wei; Zhang, Shuo; Qu, Jing; Zhang, Quanfu; Li, Chuan; Li, Jiandong; Jin, Cong; Liang, Mifang; Li, Dexin

    2014-07-17

    Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are worldwide diseases caused by several kinds of viruses. With the emergence of new viruses, advanced diagnostic methods are urgently needed for identification of VHFs. Based on Luminex xMAP technology, a rapid, sensitive, multi-pathogen and high-throughput method which could simultaneously detect hemorrhagic fever viruses (HFVs) specific IgG antibodies was developed. Recombinant antigens of nine HFVs including Hantaan virus (HTNV), Seoul virus (SEOV), Puumala virus (PUUV), Andes virus (ANDV), Sin Nombre virus (SNV), Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus (SFTSV) and dengue virus (DENV) were produced and purified from a prokaryotic expression system and the influence of the coupling amount was investigated. Cross-reactions among antigens and their rabbit immune sera were evaluated. Serum samples collected from 51 laboratory confirmed hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) patients, 43 confirmed SFTS patients and 88 healthy donors were analyzed. Results showed that recombinant nucleocapsid protein of the five viruses belonging to the genus Hantavirus, had serological cross-reactivity with their corresponding rabbit immune sera, but not apparent with immune sera of other four viruses. Evaluation of this new method with clinical serum samples showed 98.04% diagnostic sensitivity for HFRS, 90.70% for SFTS detection and the specificity was ranging from 66.67% to 100.00%. The multiplexed Luminex-based immunoassay has firstly been established in our study, which provides a potentially reliable diagnostic tool for IgG antibody detection of VHFs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Pathogenic landscapes: Interactions between land, people, disease vectors, and their animal hosts

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Landscape attributes influence spatial variations in disease risk or incidence. We present a review of the key findings from eight case studies that we conducted in Europe and West Africa on the impact of land changes on emerging or re-emerging vector-borne diseases and/or zoonoses. The case studies concern West Nile virus transmission in Senegal, tick-borne encephalitis incidence in Latvia, sandfly abundance in the French Pyrenees, Rift Valley Fever in the Ferlo (Senegal), West Nile Fever and the risk of malaria re-emergence in the Camargue, and rodent-borne Puumala hantavirus and Lyme borreliosis in Belgium. Results We identified general principles governing landscape epidemiology in these diverse disease systems and geographic regions. We formulated ten propositions that are related to landscape attributes, spatial patterns and habitat connectivity, pathways of pathogen transmission between vectors and hosts, scale issues, land use and ownership, and human behaviour associated with transmission cycles. Conclusions A static view of the "pathogenecity" of landscapes overlays maps of the spatial distribution of vectors and their habitats, animal hosts carrying specific pathogens and their habitat, and susceptible human hosts and their land use. A more dynamic view emphasizing the spatial and temporal interactions between these agents at multiple scales is more appropriate. We also highlight the complementarity of the modelling approaches used in our case studies. Integrated analyses at the landscape scale allows a better understanding of interactions between changes in ecosystems and climate, land use and human behaviour, and the ecology of vectors and animal hosts of infectious agents. PMID:20979609

  16. Model-based prediction of nephropathia epidemica outbreaks based on climatological and vegetation data and bank vole population dynamics.

    PubMed

    Haredasht, S Amirpour; Taylor, C J; Maes, P; Verstraeten, W W; Clement, J; Barrios, M; Lagrou, K; Van Ranst, M; Coppin, P; Berckmans, D; Aerts, J-M

    2013-11-01

    Wildlife-originated zoonotic diseases in general are a major contributor to emerging infectious diseases. Hantaviruses more specifically cause thousands of human disease cases annually worldwide, while understanding and predicting human hantavirus epidemics pose numerous unsolved challenges. Nephropathia epidemica (NE) is a human infection caused by Puumala virus, which is naturally carried and shed by bank voles (Myodes glareolus). The objective of this study was to develop a method that allows model-based predicting 3 months ahead of the occurrence of NE epidemics. Two data sets were utilized to develop and test the models. These data sets were concerned with NE cases in Finland and Belgium. In this study, we selected the most relevant inputs from all the available data for use in a dynamic linear regression (DLR) model. The number of NE cases in Finland were modelled using data from 1996 to 2008. The NE cases were predicted based on the time series data of average monthly air temperature (°C) and bank voles' trapping index using a DLR model. The bank voles' trapping index data were interpolated using a related dynamic harmonic regression model (DHR). Here, the DLR and DHR models used time-varying parameters. Both the DHR and DLR models were based on a unified state-space estimation framework. For the Belgium case, no time series of the bank voles' population dynamics were available. Several studies, however, have suggested that the population of bank voles is related to the variation in seed production of beech and oak trees in Northern Europe. Therefore, the NE occurrence pattern in Belgium was predicted based on a DLR model by using remotely sensed phenology parameters of broad-leaved forests, together with the oak and beech seed categories and average monthly air temperature (°C) using data from 2001 to 2009. Our results suggest that even without any knowledge about hantavirus dynamics in the host population, the time variation in NE outbreaks in Finland

  17. Genovariation Study of Hantavirus in Main Endemic Areas of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome in Hebei Province, China.

    PubMed

    Li, Qi; Cai, Yanan; Wei, Yamei; Han, Xu; Han, Zhanying; Zhang, Yanbo; Qi, Shunxiang; Xu, Yonggang

    2016-01-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an important infectious disease in Hebei Province. At present, cases from the northeast regions of the province account for >80% of the total incidences. However, studies that examine the region-specific genetic variations of the Hantavirus (HV), the causative pathogen for HFRS, have been lacking. Rodents were collected in northeast Hebei Province from 2004 to 2013, and the HV strains used in this study were isolated in 1993. Lung tissues were isolated from the rodents and HV antigen was detected by indirect immunofluorescence. The M1 and M2 fragments of HV M region were amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), cloned into pMDl9-T vector, sequenced and compared with representative standard stains for homology and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 21 samples of HV antigen-positive were collected. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that the 19 rodent lungs and two HV strains were positive for the SEO virus. 11 samples were chosen to sequence, and they shared 95.8%-99.8% in nucleotide homology, and 83.6%-99.2% when compared to the standard strains of SEO virus. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that all strains were grouped into the same S3 subtype. SEO was the major epidemic genotype of HV in the main HFRS endemic areas in Hebei Province, and S3 was the major subtype. There was minor genetic variation in HV over short term periods, while long term variations were higher.

  18. Gene Gun-Delivered DNA Vaccines for Hemorrhagic Fever With Renal Syndrome: Advancement to Clinical Trials

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-12-01

    bioterrorism pathogens that threaten troops. 1. INTRODUCTION Hantaviruses are RNA viruses belonging to the family Bunyaviridae, and are...the etiologic agents of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in the Old World and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in the New World. The...viruses are carried by persistently infected rodents and are found worldwide. There are no licensed vaccines for hantaviruses ; thus, they continue to

  19. Hantaan Virus Nucleocapsid Protein Binds to Importin alpha Proteins and Inhibits Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha-Induced Activation of Nuclear Factor Kappa B

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-11-19

    two dis- tinct types of human disease: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) * Corresponding author ...School of Medicine, New York, New York 100292 Received 12 May 2008/Accepted 14 November 2008 Hantaviruses such as Hantaan virus (HTNV) and Andes virus...cause two human diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, respectively. For both, disease pathogenesis is

  20. Tula hantavirus isolate with the full-length ORF for nonstructural protein NSs survives for more consequent passages in interferon-competent cells than the isolate having truncated NSs ORF.

    PubMed

    Jääskeläinen, Kirsi M; Plyusnina, Angelina; Lundkvist, Ake; Vaheri, Antti; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2008-01-11

    The competitiveness of two Tula hantavirus (TULV) isolates, TULV/Lodz and TULV/Moravia, was evaluated in interferon (IFN) -competent and IFN-deficient cells. The two isolates differ in the length of the open reading frame (ORF) encoding the nonstructural protein NSs, which has previously been shown to inhibit IFN response in infected cells. In IFN-deficient Vero E6 cells both TULV isolates survived equally well. In contrast, in IFN-competent MRC5 cells TULV/Lodz isolate, that possesses the NSs ORF for the full-length protein of 90 aa, survived for more consequent passages than TULV/Moravia isolate, which contains the ORF for truncated NSs protein (66-67 aa). Our data show that expression of a full-length NSs protein is beneficial for the virus survival and competitiveness in IFN-competent cells and not essential in IFN-deficient cells. These results suggest that the N-terminal aa residues are important for the full activity of the NSs protein.

  1. Low-affinity binding in cis to P2Y2R mediates force-dependent integrin activation during hantavirus infection

    PubMed Central

    Bondu, Virginie; Wu, Chenyu; Cao, Wenpeng; Simons, Peter C.; Gillette, Jennifer; Zhu, Jieqing; Erb, Laurie; Zhang, X. Frank; Buranda, Tione

    2017-01-01

    Pathogenic hantaviruses bind to the plexin-semaphorin-integrin (PSI) domain of inactive, β3 integrins. Previous studies have implicated a cognate cis interaction between the bent conformation β5/β3 integrins and an arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) sequence in the first extracellular loop of P2Y2R. With single-molecule atomic force microscopy, we show a specific interaction between an atomic force microscopy tip decorated with recombinant αIIbβ3 integrins and (RGD)P2Y2R expressed on cell membranes. Mutation of the RGD sequence to RGE in the P2Y2R removes this interaction. Binding of inactivated and fluorescently labeled Sin Nombre virus (SNV) to the integrin PSI domain stimulates higher affinity for (RGD)P2Y2R on cells, as measured by an increase in the unbinding force. In CHO cells, stably expressing αIIbβ3 integrins, virus engagement at the integrin PSI domain, recapitulates physiologic activation of the integrin as indicated by staining with the activation-specific mAB PAC1. The data also show that blocking of the Gα13 protein from binding to the cytoplasmic domain of the β3 integrin prevents outside-in signaling and infection. We propose that the cis interaction with P2Y2R provides allosteric resistance to the membrane-normal motion associated with the switchblade model of integrin activation, where the development of tensile force yields physiological integrin activation. PMID:28835374

  2. Estimating hantavirus risk in southern Argentina: a GIS-based approach combining human cases and host distribution.

    PubMed

    Andreo, Veronica; Neteler, Markus; Rocchini, Duccio; Provensal, Cecilia; Levis, Silvana; Porcasi, Ximena; Rizzoli, Annapaola; Lanfri, Mario; Scavuzzo, Marcelo; Pini, Noemi; Enria, Delia; Polop, Jaime

    2014-01-14

    We use a Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) approach along with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques to examine the potential distribution of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) caused by Andes virus (ANDV) in southern Argentina and, more precisely, define and estimate the area with the highest infection probability for humans, through the combination with the distribution map for the competent rodent host (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus). Sites with confirmed cases of HPS in the period 1995-2009 were mostly concentrated in a narrow strip (~90 km × 900 km) along the Andes range from northern Neuquén to central Chubut province. This area is characterized by high mean annual precipitation (~1,000 mm on average), but dry summers (less than 100 mm), very low percentages of bare soil (~10% on average) and low temperatures in the coldest month (minimum average temperature -1.5 °C), as compared to the HPS-free areas, features that coincide with sub-Antarctic forests and shrublands (especially those dominated by the invasive plant Rosa rubiginosa), where rodent host abundances and ANDV prevalences are known to be the highest. Through the combination of predictive distribution maps of the reservoir host and disease cases, we found that the area with the highest probability for HPS to occur overlaps only 28% with the most suitable habitat for O. longicaudatus. With this approach, we made a step forward in the understanding of the risk factors that need to be considered in the forecasting and mapping of risk at the regional/national scale. We propose the implementation and use of thematic maps, such as the one built here, as a basic tool allowing public health authorities to focus surveillance efforts and normally scarce resources for prevention and control actions in vast areas like southern Argentina.

  3. Estimating Hantavirus Risk in Southern Argentina: A GIS-Based Approach Combining Human Cases and Host Distribution

    PubMed Central

    Andreo, Veronica; Neteler, Markus; Rocchini, Duccio; Provensal, Cecilia; Levis, Silvana; Porcasi, Ximena; Rizzoli, Annapaola; Lanfri, Mario; Scavuzzo, Marcelo; Pini, Noemi; Enria, Delia; Polop, Jaime

    2014-01-01

    We use a Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) approach along with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques to examine the potential distribution of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) caused by Andes virus (ANDV) in southern Argentina and, more precisely, define and estimate the area with the highest infection probability for humans, through the combination with the distribution map for the competent rodent host (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus). Sites with confirmed cases of HPS in the period 1995–2009 were mostly concentrated in a narrow strip (~90 km × 900 km) along the Andes range from northern Neuquén to central Chubut province. This area is characterized by high mean annual precipitation (~1,000 mm on average), but dry summers (less than 100 mm), very low percentages of bare soil (~10% on average) and low temperatures in the coldest month (minimum average temperature −1.5 °C), as compared to the HPS-free areas, features that coincide with sub-Antarctic forests and shrublands (especially those dominated by the invasive plant Rosa rubiginosa), where rodent host abundances and ANDV prevalences are known to be the highest. Through the combination of predictive distribution maps of the reservoir host and disease cases, we found that the area with the highest probability for HPS to occur overlaps only 28% with the most suitable habitat for O. longicaudatus. With this approach, we made a step forward in the understanding of the risk factors that need to be considered in the forecasting and mapping of risk at the regional/national scale. We propose the implementation and use of thematic maps, such as the one built here, as a basic tool allowing public health authorities to focus surveillance efforts and normally scarce resources for prevention and control actions in vast areas like southern Argentina. PMID:24424500

  4. Application of MODIS GPP to Forecast Risk of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome Based on Fluctuations in Reservoir Population Density

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Loehman, R.; Heinsch, F. A.; Mills, J. N.; Wagoner, K.; Running, S.

    2003-12-01

    Recent predictive models for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) have used remotely sensed spectral reflectance data to characterize risk areas with limited success. We present an alternative method using gross primary production (GPP) from the MODIS sensor to estimate the effects of biomass accumulation on population density of Peromyscus maniculatus (deer mouse), the principal reservoir species for Sin Nombre virus (SNV). The majority of diagnosed HPS cases in North America are attributed to SNV, which is transmitted to humans through inhalation of excretions and secretions from infected rodents. A logistic model framework is used to evaluate MODIS GPP, temperature, and precipitation as predictors of P. maniculatus density at established trapping sites across the western United States. Rodent populations are estimated using monthly minimum number alive (MNA) data for 2000 through 2002. Both local meteorological data from nearby weather stations and 1.25 degree x 1 degree gridded data from the NASA DAO were used in the regression model to determine the spatial sensitivity of the response. MODIS eight-day GPP data (1-km resolution) were acquired and binned to monthly average and monthly sum GPP for 3km x 3km grids surrounding each rodent trapping site. The use of MODIS GPP to forecast HPS risk may result in a marked improvement over past reflectance-based risk area characterizations. The MODIS GPP product provides a vegetation dynamics estimate that is unique to disease models, and targets the fundamental ecological processes responsible for increased rodent density and amplified disease risk.

  5. Comprehensive Panel of Real-Time TaqMan™ Polymerase Chain Reaction Assays for Detection and Absolute Quantification of Filoviruses, Arenaviruses, and New World Hantaviruses

    PubMed Central

    Trombley, Adrienne R.; Wachter, Leslie; Garrison, Jeffrey; Buckley-Beason, Valerie A.; Jahrling, Jordan; Hensley, Lisa E.; Schoepp, Randal J.; Norwood, David A.; Goba, Augustine; Fair, Joseph N.; Kulesh, David A.

    2010-01-01

    Viral hemorrhagic fever is caused by a diverse group of single-stranded, negative-sense or positive-sense RNA viruses belonging to the families Filoviridae (Ebola and Marburg), Arenaviridae (Lassa, Junin, Machupo, Sabia, and Guanarito), and Bunyaviridae (hantavirus). Disease characteristics in these families mark each with the potential to be used as a biological threat agent. Because other diseases have similar clinical symptoms, specific laboratory diagnostic tests are necessary to provide the differential diagnosis during outbreaks and for instituting acceptable quarantine procedures. We designed 48 TaqMan™-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for specific and absolute quantitative detection of multiple hemorrhagic fever viruses. Forty-six assays were determined to be virus-specific, and two were designated as pan assays for Marburg virus. The limit of detection for the assays ranged from 10 to 0.001 plaque-forming units (PFU)/PCR. Although these real-time hemorrhagic fever virus assays are qualitative (presence of target), they are also quantitative (measure a single DNA/RNA target sequence in an unknown sample and express the final results as an absolute value (e.g., viral load, PFUs, or copies/mL) on the basis of concentration of standard samples and can be used in viral load, vaccine, and antiviral drug studies. PMID:20439981

  6. High-Dose Intravenous Methylprednisolone for Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome in Chile: A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

    PubMed Central

    Vial, Pablo A.; Valdivieso, Francisca; Ferres, Marcela; Riquelme, Raul; Rioseco, M. Luisa; Calvo, Mario; Castillo, Constanza; Díaz, Ricardo; Scholz, Luis; Cuiza, Analia; Belmar, Edith; Hernandez, Carla; Martinez, Jessica; Lee, Sang-Joon; Mertz, Gregory J.; Abarca, Juan; Tomicic, Vinko; Aracena, M. Eugenia; Rehbein, Ana Maria; Velásquez, Soledad; Lavin, Victoria; Garrido, Felipe; Godoy, Paula; Martinez, Constanza; Chamorro, Juan Carlos; Contreras, Jorge; Hernandez, Jury; Pino, Marcelo; Villegas, Paola; Zapata, Viviana; León, Marisol; Vega, Ivonne; Otarola, Irisol; Ortega, Carlos; Daube, Elizabeth; Huecha, Doris; Neira, Alda; Ruiz, Ines; Nuñez, M. Antonieta; Monsalve, Luz; Chabouty, Henriette; Riquelme, Lorena; Palma, Samia; Bustos, Raul; Miranda, Ruben; Mardones, Jovita; Hernandez, Nora; Betancur, Yasna; Sanhueza, Ligia; Inostroza, Jaime; Donoso, Solange; Navarrete, Maritza; Acuña, Lily; Manriquez, Paulina; Castillo, Fabiola; Unzueta, Paola; Aguilera, Teresa; Osorio, Carola; Yobanolo, Veronica; Mardones, Jorge; Aranda, Sandra; Carvajal, Soledad; Sandoval, Moisés; Daza, Soraya; Vargas, Felipe; Diaz, Violeta; Riquelme, Mauricio; Muñoz, Miriam; Carriel, Andrea; Lanino, Paola; Hernandez, Susana; Schumacher, Patricia; Yañez, Lia; Marco, Claudia; Ehrenfeld, Mildred; Delgado, Iris; Rios, Susana; Vial, Cecilia; Bedrick, Edward

    2013-01-01

    Background. Andes virus (ANDV)–related hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) has a 35% case fatality rate in Chile and no specific treatment. In an immunomodulatory approach, we evaluated the efficacy of intravenous methylprednisolone for HCPS treatment, through a parallel-group, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Methods. Patients aged >2 years, with confirmed or suspected HCPS in cardiopulmonary stage, admitted to any of 13 study sites in Chile, were randomized by study center in blocks of 4 with a 1:1 allocation and assigned through sequentially numbered envelopes to receive placebo or methylprednisolone 16 mg/kg/day (≤1000 mg) for 3 days. All personnel remained blinded except the local pharmacist. Infection was confirmed by immunoglobulin M antibodies or ANDV RNA in blood. The composite primary endpoint was death, partial pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio ≤55, cardiac index ≤2.2, or ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation within 28 days. Safety endpoints included the number of serious adverse events (SAEs) and quantification of viral RNA in blood. Analysis was by intention to treat. Results. Infection was confirmed in 60 of 66 (91%) enrollees. Fifteen of 30 placebo-treated patients and 11 of 30 methylprednisolone-treated patients progressed to the primary endpoint (P = .43). We observed no significant difference in mortality between treatment groups (P = .41). There was a trend toward more severe disease in placebo recipients at entry. More subjects in the placebo group experienced SAEs (P = .02). There were no SAEs clearly related to methylprednisolone administration, and methylprednisolone did not increase viral load. Conclusions. Although methylprednisolone appears to be safe, it did not provide significant clinical benefit to patients. Our results do not support the use of methylprednisolone for HCPS. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT00128180. PMID:23784924

  7. High-dose intravenous methylprednisolone for hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in Chile: a double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Vial, Pablo A; Valdivieso, Francisca; Ferres, Marcela; Riquelme, Raul; Rioseco, M Luisa; Calvo, Mario; Castillo, Constanza; Díaz, Ricardo; Scholz, Luis; Cuiza, Analia; Belmar, Edith; Hernandez, Carla; Martinez, Jessica; Lee, Sang-Joon; Mertz, Gregory J

    2013-10-01

    Andes virus (ANDV)-related hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) has a 35% case fatality rate in Chile and no specific treatment. In an immunomodulatory approach, we evaluated the efficacy of intravenous methylprednisolone for HCPS treatment, through a parallel-group, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients aged >2 years, with confirmed or suspected HCPS in cardiopulmonary stage, admitted to any of 13 study sites in Chile, were randomized by study center in blocks of 4 with a 1:1 allocation and assigned through sequentially numbered envelopes to receive placebo or methylprednisolone 16 mg/kg/day (≤1000 mg) for 3 days. All personnel remained blinded except the local pharmacist. Infection was confirmed by immunoglobulin M antibodies or ANDV RNA in blood. The composite primary endpoint was death, partial pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio ≤55, cardiac index ≤2.2, or ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation within 28 days. Safety endpoints included the number of serious adverse events (SAEs) and quantification of viral RNA in blood. Analysis was by intention to treat. Infection was confirmed in 60 of 66 (91%) enrollees. Fifteen of 30 placebo-treated patients and 11 of 30 methylprednisolone-treated patients progressed to the primary endpoint (P = .43). We observed no significant difference in mortality between treatment groups (P = .41). There was a trend toward more severe disease in placebo recipients at entry. More subjects in the placebo group experienced SAEs (P = .02). There were no SAEs clearly related to methylprednisolone administration, and methylprednisolone did not increase viral load. Although methylprednisolone appears to be safe, it did not provide significant clinical benefit to patients. Our results do not support the use of methylprednisolone for HCPS. NCT00128180.

  8. Early innate immune responses to Sin Nombre hantavirus occur independently of IFN regulatory factor 3, characterized pattern recognition receptors, and viral entry.

    PubMed

    Prescott, Joseph B; Hall, Pamela R; Bondu-Hawkins, Virginie S; Ye, Chunyan; Hjelle, Brian

    2007-08-01

    Sin Nombre virus (SNV) is a highly pathogenic New World virus and etiologic agent of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. We have previously shown that replication-defective virus particles are able to induce a strong IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) response in human primary cells. RNA viruses often stimulate the innate immune response by interactions between viral nucleic acids, acting as a pathogen-associated molecular pattern, and cellular pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). Ligand binding to PRRs activates transcription factors which regulate the expression of antiviral genes, and in all systems examined thus far, IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) has been described as an essential intermediate for induction of ISG expression. However, we now describe a model in which IRF3 is dispensable for the induction of ISG transcription in response to viral particles. IRF3-independent ISG transcription in human hepatoma cell lines is initiated early after exposure to SNV virus particles in an entry- and replication-independent fashion. Furthermore, using gene knockdown, we discovered that this activation is independent of the best-characterized RNA- and protein-sensing PRRs including the cytoplasmic caspase recruitment domain-containing RNA helicases and the TLRs. SNV particles engage a heretofore unrecognized PRR, likely located at the cell surface, and engage a novel IRF3-independent pathway that activates the innate immune response.

  9. Ecological Niche Modelling of Bank Voles in Western Europe

    PubMed Central

    Amirpour Haredasht, Sara; Barrios, Miguel; Farifteh, Jamshid; Maes, Piet; Clement, Jan; Verstraeten, Willem W.; Tersago, Katrien; Van Ranst, Marc; Coppin, Pol; Berckmans, Daniel; Aerts, Jean-Marie

    2013-01-01

    The bank vole (Myodes glareolus) is the natural host of Puumala virus (PUUV) in vast areas of Europe. PUUV is one of the hantaviruses which are transmitted to humans by infected rodents. PUUV causes a general mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) called nephropathia epidemica (NE). Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases generally display clear spatial patterns due to different space-dependent factors. Land cover influences disease transmission by controlling both the spatial distribution of vectors or hosts, as well as by facilitating the human contact with them. In this study the use of ecological niche modelling (ENM) for predicting the geographical distribution of bank vole population on the basis of spatial climate information is tested. The Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Prediction (GARP) is used to model the ecological niche of bank voles in Western Europe. The meteorological data, land cover types and geo-referenced points representing the locations of the bank voles (latitude/longitude) in the study area are used as the primary model input value. The predictive accuracy of the bank vole ecologic niche model was significant (training accuracy of 86%). The output of the GARP models based on the 50% subsets of points used for testing the model showed an accuracy of 75%. Compared with random models, the probability of such high predictivity was low (χ2 tests, p < 10−6). As such, the GARP models were predictive and the used ecologic niche model indeed indicates the ecologic requirements of bank voles. This approach successfully identified the areas of infection risk across the study area. The result suggests that the niche modelling approach can be implemented in a next step towards the development of new tools for monitoring the bank vole’s population. PMID:23358234

  10. Ecological niche modelling of bank voles in Western Europe.

    PubMed

    Amirpour Haredasht, Sara; Barrios, Miguel; Farifteh, Jamshid; Maes, Piet; Clement, Jan; Verstraeten, Willem W; Tersago, Katrien; Van Ranst, Marc; Coppin, Pol; Berckmans, Daniel; Aerts, Jean-Marie

    2013-01-28

    The bank vole (Myodes glareolus) is the natural host of Puumala virus (PUUV) in vast areas of Europe. PUUV is one of the hantaviruses which are transmitted to humans by infected rodents. PUUV causes a general mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) called nephropathia epidemica (NE). Vector-borne and zoonotic diseases generally display clear spatial patterns due to different space-dependent factors. Land cover influences disease transmission by controlling both the spatial distribution of vectors or hosts, as well as by facilitating the human contact with them. In this study the use of ecological niche modelling (ENM) for predicting the geographical distribution of bank vole population on the basis of spatial climate information is tested. The Genetic Algorithm for Rule-set Prediction (GARP) is used to model the ecological niche of bank voles in Western Europe. The meteorological data, land cover types and geo-referenced points representing the locations of the bank voles (latitude/longitude) in the study area are used as the primary model input value. The predictive accuracy of the bank vole ecologic niche model was significant (training accuracy of 86%). The output of the GARP models based on the 50% subsets of points used for testing the model showed an accuracy of 75%. Compared with random models, the probability of such high predictivity was low (χ(2) tests, p < 10(-6)). As such, the GARP models were predictive and the used ecologic niche model indeed indicates the ecologic requirements of bank voles. This approach successfully identified the areas of infection risk across the study area. The result suggests that the niche modelling approach can be implemented in a next step towards the development of new tools for monitoring the bank vole's population.

  11. The Andes Virus Nucleocapsid Protein Directs Basal Endothelial Cell Permeability by Activating RhoA

    PubMed Central

    Gorbunova, Elena E.; Simons, Matthew J.; Gavrilovskaya, Irina N.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Andes virus (ANDV) predominantly infects microvascular endothelial cells (MECs) and nonlytically causes an acute pulmonary edema termed hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). In HPS patients, virtually every pulmonary MEC is infected, MECs are enlarged, and infection results in vascular leakage and highly lethal pulmonary edema. We observed that MECs infected with the ANDV hantavirus or expressing the ANDV nucleocapsid (N) protein showed increased size and permeability by activating the Rheb and RhoA GTPases. Expression of ANDV N in MECs increased cell size by preventing tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) repression of Rheb-mTOR-pS6K. N selectively bound the TSC2 N terminus (1 to 1403) within a complex containing TSC2/TSC1/TBC1D7, and endogenous TSC2 reciprocally coprecipitated N protein from ANDV-infected MECs. TSCs normally restrict RhoA-induced MEC permeability, and we found that ANDV infection or N protein expression constitutively activated RhoA. This suggests that the ANDV N protein alone is sufficient to activate signaling pathways that control MEC size and permeability. Further, RhoA small interfering RNA, dominant-negative RhoA(N19), and the RhoA/Rho kinase inhibitors fasudil and Y27632 dramatically reduced the permeability of ANDV-infected MECs by 80 to 90%. Fasudil also reduced the bradykinin-directed permeability of ANDV and Hantaan virus-infected MECs to control levels. These findings demonstrate that ANDV activation of RhoA causes MEC permeability and reveal a potential edemagenic mechanism for ANDV to constitutively inhibit the basal barrier integrity of infected MECs. The central importance of RhoA activation in MEC permeability further suggests therapeutically targeting RhoA, TSCs, and Rac1 as potential means of resolving capillary leakage during hantavirus infections. PMID:27795403

  12. Biodiversity and evolution of Imjin virus and Thottapalayam virus in Crocidurinae shrews in Zhejiang Province, China.

    PubMed

    Lin, Xian-Dan; Zhou, Run-Hong; Fan, Fei-Neng; Ying, Xu-Hua; Sun, Xiao-Yu; Wang, Wen; Holmes, Edward C; Zhang, Yong-Zhen

    2014-08-30

    The recent discovery of numerous hantaviruses in insectivores has provided a new view of hantavirus biodiversity and evolution. To determine the presence and genetic diversity of Imjin virus (MJNV) and Thottapalayam virus (TPMV) in insectivores in Zhejiang Province, China, we captured and performed virus screening of 32 Ussuri white-toothed shrews (Crocidura lasiura) and 105 Asian house shrews (Suncus murinus) in different coastal regions. Hantavirus genome (S, M, and L segments) sequences were successfully recovered from one Ussuri white-toothed shrew and seven Asian house shrews. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the virus carried by the Ussuri white-toothed shrew was most closely related to MJNV, but with >15% nucleotide sequence difference, suggesting that it represents a new subtype. The hantaviruses carried by Asian house shrews were closely related to the TPMV variants found in the same geographic area, but more distantly related to those sampled in India and Nepal. Additionally, the TPMV sequences obtained in this study, as well as those found previously in this area, could be divided into three lineages reflecting their geographic origins, indicative of largely allopatric evolution. Overall, our data highlights the high genetic diversity of insectivore-borne hantaviruses in China, suggesting that more may be discovered in the future. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Sin Nombre virus-specific immunoglobulin M and G kinetics in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and the role played by serologic responses in predicting disease outcome.

    PubMed

    MacNeil, Adam; Comer, James A; Ksiazek, Thomas G; Rollin, Pierre E

    2010-07-15

    Sin Nombre virus (SNV) is the primary cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the United States. Although other studies have demonstrated a possible association between neutralizing antibody titers and the severity of HPS, the exact nature of serologic responses and their association with outcomes have not been fully characterized. We examined immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) serologic responses in 94 clinical samples from 81 patients with confirmed HPS. We further compared a subset of 31 patients with fatal HPS and 20 surviving patients for whom samples were available within a week after the onset of HPS. SNV-specific IgM antibodies displayed a trend suggesting an early peak, whereas IgG antibody values peaked later. Among individuals with samples from the first week after the onset of HPS, all surviving patients had SNV-specific IgG responses, compared with <50% of patients with fatal HPS, and the distribution of IgG responses was significantly higher in surviving patients. Production of SNV-specific IgM antibodies occurs early during the clinical course of HPS, whereas production of IgG antibodies may be more protracted. The presence and overall distribution of higher IgG antibody titers in surviving patients with HPS suggests that production of SNV-specific IgG may be a strong predictor of favorable outcomes.

  14. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Albania. Focus on predictors of acute kidney injury in HFRS.

    PubMed

    Rista, Elvana; Pilaca, Arben; Akshija, Ilir; Rama, Ariol; Harja, Endri; Puca, Edmond; Bino, Silvia; Cadri, Vilma; Kota, Majlinda; Nestor, Thereska; Arjan, Harxhi

    2017-06-01

    Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is a rodent borne zoonosis, caused by the members of the family Bunyaviridae, genus Hantavirus. The main clinical features of the infection by this virus family are fever, thrombocytopenia and acute kidney injury. The aim of our study was to identify, for the first time, characteristic features of HFRS in the Albanian population. The study comprised 33 consecutive patients admitted with suspected HFRS from April 2011-April 2016 at one center. Clinical diagnosis was confirmed by ELISA and real-time PCR. Statistical analysis was performed to identify prognostic markers and indicators of disease severity. The virus strain causing HFRS was Dobrava type in all 33 cases. The disease outbreaks occurred during the period June-July. Mean hospital stay was 15.7±6.9days. 29 (88%) of the patients were male. The mean age was 39.7±14.1. 16 (48.5%) patients were from Northeast Albania. 8 (24.2%) patients required dialysis. The strongest correlation was the inverse relationship of nadir platelet count with urea and creatinine, p<0.0001, p<0.0079 respectively. Creatinine and hyponatremia were inversely correlated p=0.0007, whereas hyponatremia and nadir platelet count had the highest sensitivity and specificity for development of severe AKI, 92.6%, 100%; 88.9%, 83.3% respectively. Mortality rate was 9.09%. HFRS is a severe viral disease in Albania caused by Dobrava strain. It is associated with high mortality, 9.09% in our cohort. In our study, thrombocytopenia, urinary volume, hyponatremia were indicators of more severe disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The threat of emerging infections.

    PubMed

    1996-11-01

    A variety of newly discovered pathogens and new forms of older infectious agents threaten to reemerge. Typical symptoms of acute infection are fever, headache, malaise, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some of the better-known emerging viral infections include dengue, filoviruses (Ebola, Marburg), hantaviruses, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, influenza, lassa fever, measles, rift valley fever, rotavirus, and yellow fever. Emerging bacterial infections include cholera, Escherichia coli 0157:H7, legionnaires disease (Legionella), lyme disease, streptococcus infections (group A), tuberculosis, and typhoid. Emerging parasitic infections include cryptosporidium and other waterborne pathogens and malaria. The causes of many diseases are still shrouded in mystery; thus, treatments and cures for them are as yet unknown.

  16. Differentiating Acute Otitis Media and Acute Mastoiditis in Hospitalized Children.

    PubMed

    Laulajainen-Hongisto, Anu; Aarnisalo, Antti A; Jero, Jussi

    2016-10-01

    Acute otitis media is a common infection in children. Most acute otitis media episodes can be treated at an outpatient setting with antimicrobials, or only expectant observation. Hospital treatment with parenteral medication, and myringotomy or tympanostomy, may be needed to treat those with severe, prolonged symptoms, or with complications. The most common intratemporal complication of acute otitis media is acute mastoiditis. If a child with acute mastoiditis does not respond to this treatment, or if complications develop, further examinations and other surgical procedures, including mastoidectomy, are considered. Since the treatment of complicated acute otitis media and complicated acute mastoiditis differs, it is important to differentiate these two conditions. This article focuses on the differential diagnostics of acute otitis media and acute mastoiditis in children.

  17. Experimental evaluation of rodent exclusion methods to reduce hantavirus transmission to residents in a Native American community in New Mexico.

    PubMed

    Hopkins, Andrew S; Whitetail-Eagle, Joe; Corneli, Amy L; Person, Bobbie; Ettestad, Paul J; DiMenna, Mark; Norstog, Jon; Creswell, Jacob; Khan, Ali S; Olson, James G; Cavallaro, Kathleen F; Bryan, Ralph T; Cheek, James E; Begay, Bruce; Hoddenbach, Gerard A; Ksiazek, Thomas G; Mills, James N

    2002-01-01

    We conducted a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of rodent proofing continuously occupied homes as a method for lowering the risk for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) among residents of a Native American community in northwestern New Mexico. Rodent proofing of dwellings was paired with culturally appropriate health education. Seventy homes were randomly assigned to treatment or control categories. Treatment homes were rodent-proofed by sealing openings around foundations, doors, roofs, and pipes and repairing screens and windows. Repairs to each dwelling were limited to $500 US. After repairs were completed, 15-20 snap traps were placed in each treatment and control home and checked approximately every 2 days for an average of 3-4 weeks. During 23,373 trap nights, one house mouse (Mus musculus) was captured in one treatment home, and 20 mice (16 deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus, two Pinyon mice, Peromyscus truei, and two unidentified mice) were captured in five control homes (one house had 14 captures, two had two captures, and two had one capture). Trap success was 0.01% in treatment homes and 0.15% in controls. Intensity of infestation (mean number of mice captured per infested home) was 1 in treatment homes and 4 in controls. Observations of evidence of infestation (feces, nesting material, gnaw marks, or reports of infestation by occupant) per 100 days of observation were 1.2 in treatment homes and 3.1 in controls. Statistical power of the experiment was limited because it coincided with a period of low rodent abundance (August-November 2000). Nevertheless, these results suggest that inexpensive rodent proofing of occupied rural homes can decrease the frequency and intensity of rodent intrusion, thereby reducing the risk of HPS among rural residents in the southwestern United States.

  18. Surveillance of vector-borne diseases in Germany: trends and challenges in the view of disease emergence and climate change.

    PubMed

    Jansen, Andreas; Frank, Christina; Koch, Judith; Stark, Klaus

    2008-12-01

    The changing epidemiology of vector-borne diseases represents a growing threat to human health. Contemporary surveillance systems have to adapt to these changes. We describe temporal trends and geographic origins of vector-borne diseases in Germany with regard to strengths of existing disease surveillance and to areas marked for improvement. We focused on hantavirus infection (endemic in Germany), chikungunya fever (recently emerging in Europe) and dengue fever (imported from tropical regions), representing important subgroups of vector-borne infections. Routine surveillance data on demographics, origin of infection and the date of reporting were analysed. From 2001 through 2007, 3,005 symptomatic hantavirus infections, and 85 cases of chikungunya fever were reported, similarly 1,048 cases of dengue fever in 2002 through 2007. The geographic origin of hantavirus infection was reported for 95.5% of all cases (dengue virus, 98.4%; chikungunya virus, 100%). Hantavirus infections were acquired in Germany in 97.6% of cases (n = 2800). In 2007, there was a marked increase of hantavirus cases, mainly in areas known to be endemic for hantavirus. In 2006, imported cases of chikungunya fever primarily returned from several islands of the Indian Ocean, while the majority of imported cases in 2007 came from India. The reported number of dengue fever cases have increased since 2004. Thailand contributed the largest proportion of cases (17-43% in individual years), followed by India, Brazil and Indonesia. Surveillance of notifiable vector-borne diseases in Germany is able to timely detect spatial and temporal changes of autochthonous an imported infections. Geographic and temporal data obtained by routine surveillance served as a basis for public health recommendations. In addition to surveillance of vector-borne infections in humans, nationwide monitoring programs and inventory techniques for emerging and reemerging vectors and for wildlife disease are warranted.

  19. Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology in Sri Lanka: Are leptospirosis and Hantaviral infection likely causes?

    PubMed

    Gamage, Chandika Damesh; Sarathkumara, Yomani Dilukshi

    2016-06-01

    Chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) has been a severe burden and a public health crisis in Sri Lanka over the past two decades. Many studies have established hypotheses to identify potential risk factors although causative agents, risk factors and etiology of this disease are still uncertain. Several studies have postulated that fungal and bacterial nephrotoxins are a possible etiological factor; however, the precise link between hypothesized risk factors and the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease has yet to be proven in prior studies. Leptospirosis and Hantavirus infections are important zoonotic diseases that are naturally maintained and transmitted via infected rodent populations and which present similar clinical and epidemiological features. Both infections are known to be a cause of acute kidney damage that can proceed into chronic renal failure. Several studies have reported presence of both infections in Sri Lanka. Therefore, we hypothesized that pathogenic Leptospira or Hantavirus are possible causative agents of acute kidney damage which eventually progresses to chronic kidney disease in Sri Lanka. The proposed hypothesis will be evaluated by means of an observational study design. Past infection will be assessed by a cross-sectional study to detect the presence of IgG antibodies with further confirmatory testing among chronic kidney disease patients and individuals from the community in selected endemic areas compared to low prevalence areas. Identification of possible risk factors for these infections will be followed by a case-control study and causality will be further determined with a cohort study. If the current hypothesis is true, affected communities will be subjected for medical interventions related to the disease for patient management while considering supportive therapies. Furthermore and possibly enhance their preventive and control measures to improve vector control to decrease the risk of infection. Copyright © 2016

  20. The Australian National Sub-Acute and Non-Acute Patient casemix classification.

    PubMed

    Eagar, K

    1999-01-01

    The Australian National Sub-Acute and Non-Acute Patient (AN-SNAP) Version 1 casemix classification was completed in 1997. AN-SNAP is designed for the classification of sub-acute and non-acute care provided in both inpatient and ambulatory settings and is intended to be useful for both funding and clinical management purposes. The National Sub-Acute and Non-Acute Casemix Classification study has produced the first version of a national classification of sub-acute and non-acute care. Ongoing refinement (leading to Version 2) will be possible through further analysis of the existing data set in combination with analysis of the results of a carefully planned and phased implementation.

  1. Hantavirus

    MedlinePlus

    ... your kitchen. If you must work in an area where contact with rodent urine or feces is possible, follow these recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and ... area has been thoroughly decontaminated. Then, vacuum the first ...

  2. Acute Bronchitis

    MedlinePlus

    ... on unwashed hands). Being exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, dusts, vapors, and fumes can also cause acute bronchitis. Less often, bacteria can also cause acute bronchitis. To diagnose acute bronchitis, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and ...

  3. Casemix classification payment for sub-acute and non-acute inpatient care, Thailand.

    PubMed

    Khiaocharoen, Orathai; Pannarunothai, Supasit; Zungsontiporn, Chairoj; Riewpaiboon, Wachara

    2010-07-01

    There is a need to develop other casemix classifications, apart from DRG for sub-acute and non-acute inpatient care payment mechanism in Thailand. To develop a casemix classification for sub-acute and non-acute inpatient service. The study began with developing a classification system, analyzing cost, assigning payment weights, and ended with testing the validity of this new casemix system. Coefficient of variation, reduction in variance, linear regression, and split-half cross-validation were employed. The casemix for sub-acute and non-acute inpatient services contained 98 groups. Two percent of them had a coefficient of variation of the cost of higher than 1.5. The reduction in variance of cost after the classification was 32%. Two classification variables (physical function and the rehabilitation impairment categories) were key determinants of the cost (adjusted R2 = 0.749, p = .001). Validity results of split-half cross-validation of sub-acute and non-acute inpatient service were high. The present study indicated that the casemix for sub-acute and non-acute inpatient services closely predicted the hospital resource use and should be further developed for payment of the inpatients sub-acute and non-acute phase.

  4. Experimental Andes virus infection in deer mice: characteristics of infection and clearance in a heterologous rodent host.

    PubMed

    Spengler, Jessica R; Haddock, Elaine; Gardner, Don; Hjelle, Brian; Feldmann, Heinz; Prescott, Joseph

    2013-01-01

    New World hantaviruses can cause hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome with high mortality in humans. Distinct virus species are hosted by specific rodent reservoirs, which also serve as the vectors. Although regional spillover has been documented, it is unknown whether rodent reservoirs are competent for infection by hantaviruses that are geographically separated, and known to have related, but distinct rodent reservoir hosts. We show that Andes virus (ANDV) of South America, carried by the long tailed pygmy rice rat (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus), infects and replicates in vitro and in vivo in the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), the reservoir host of Sin Nombre virus (SNV), found in North America. In experimentally infected deer mice, viral RNA was detected in the blood, lung, heart and spleen, but virus was cleared by 56 days post inoculation (dpi). All of the inoculated deer mice mounted a humoral immune response by 14 dpi, and produced measurable amounts of neutralizing antibodies by 21 dpi. An up-regulation of Ccl3, Ccl4, Ccl5, and Tgfb, a strong CD4⁺ T-cell response, and down-regulation of Il17, Il21 and Il23 occurred during infection. Infection was transient with an absence of clinical signs or histopathological changes. This is the first evidence that ANDV asymptomatically infects, and is immunogenic in deer mice, a non-natural host species of ANDV. Comparing the immune response in this model to that of the immune response in the natural hosts upon infection with their co-adapted hantaviruses may help clarify the mechanisms governing persistent infection in the natural hosts of hantaviruses.

  5. Dynein-Dependent Transport of the Hantaan Virus Nucleocapsid Protein to the Endoplasmic Reticulum-Golgi Intermediate Compartment▿

    PubMed Central

    Ramanathan, Harish N.; Chung, Dong-Hoon; Plane, Steven J.; Sztul, Elizabeth; Chu, Yong-kyu; Guttieri, Mary C.; McDowell, Michael; Ali, Georgia; Jonsson, Colleen B.

    2007-01-01

    In contrast to most negative-stranded RNA viruses, hantaviruses and other viruses in the family Bunyaviridae mature intracellularly, deriving the virion envelope from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or Golgi compartment. While it is generally accepted that Old World hantaviruses assemble and bud into the Golgi compartment, some studies with New World hantaviruses have raised the possibility of maturation at the plasma membrane as well. Overall, the steps leading to virion assembly remain largely undetermined for hantaviruses. Because hantaviruses do not have matrix proteins, the nucleocapsid protein (N) has been proposed to play a key role in assembly. Herein, we examine the intracellular trafficking and morphogenesis of the prototype Old World hantavirus, Hantaan virus (HTNV). Using confocal microscopy, we show that N colocalized with the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) in HTNV-infected Vero E6 cells, not with the ER, Golgi compartment, or early endosomes. Brefeldin A, which effectively disperses the ER, the ERGIC, and Golgi membranes, redistributed N with the ERGIC, implicating membrane association; however, subcellular fractionation experiments showed the majority of N in particulate fractions. Confocal microscopy revealed that N was juxtaposed to and distributed along microtubules and, over time, became surrounded by vimentin cages. To probe cytoskeletal association further, we probed trafficking of N in cells treated with nocodazole and cytochalasin D, which depolymerize microtubules and actin, respectively. We show that nocodazole, but not cytochalasin D, affected the distribution of N and reduced levels of intracellular viral RNA. These results suggested the involvement of microtubules in trafficking of N, whose movement could occur via molecular motors such as dynein. Overexpression of dynamitin, which is associated with dynein-mediated transport, creates a dominant-negative phenotype blocking transport on microtubules. Overexpression of dynamitin

  6. Acute nephritic syndrome

    MedlinePlus

    ... Names Glomerulonephritis - acute; Acute glomerulonephritis; Nephritis syndrome - acute Images Kidney anatomy References Appel GB, Radhakrishnan J. Glomerular disorders and nephrotic syndromes. In: Goldman L, ...

  7. Relationship Between Acute Benzodiazepine Poisoning and Acute Pancreatitis Risk

    PubMed Central

    Liaw, Geng-Wang; Hung, Dong-Zong; Chen, Wei-Kung; Lin, Cheng-Li; Lin, I-Ching; Kao, Chia-Hung

    2015-01-01

    Abstract We designed a population-based retrospective cohort study to investigate the association between the event of benzodiazepine (BZD) poisoning and the risk of acute pancreatitis. In the present study, 12,893 patients with BZD poisoning during 2000 to 2011 were enrolled and matched with 4 comparison patients according to mean age and sex. We determined the cumulative incidences and adjusted hazard ratios of acute pancreatitis. A significant association was observed between BZD poisoning and acute pancreatitis. After adjustment for potential risk factors, the patients with BZD poisoning had a 5.33-fold increased risk of acute pancreatitis compared with the controls without BZD poisoning (HR = 5.33, 95% CI = 2.26–12.60). The results revealed that acute pancreatitis in patients with BZD poisoning occurred in a follow-up time of ≤1 month (HR = 50.0, P < .001), and the risk of acute pancreatitis was no different between the patients with and without BZD poisoning when the follow-up time was >1 month (HR = 1.07, P > .05). This population-based study revealed the positive correlation between the event of BZD poisoning and an increased risk of acute pancreatitis. The findings warrant further large-scale and in-depth investigation. PMID:26717383

  8. Acute kidney injury: not just acute renal failure anymore?

    PubMed

    Dirkes, Susan

    2011-02-01

    Until recently, no uniform standard existed for diagnosing and classifying acute renal failure. To clarify diagnosis, the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative group stated its consensus on the need for a clear definition and classification system of renal dysfunction with measurable criteria. Today the term acute kidney injury has replaced the term acute renal failure, with an understanding that such injury is a common clinical problem in critically ill patients and typically is predictive of an increase in morbidity and mortality. A classification system, known as RIFLE (risk of injury, injury, failure, loss of function, and end-stage renal failure), includes specific goals for preventing acute kidney injury: adequate hydration, maintenance of renal perfusion, limiting exposure to nephrotoxins, drug protective strategies, and the use of renal replacement therapies that reduce renal injury.

  9. Development of a TaqMan Array Card for Acute-Febrile-Illness Outbreak Investigation and Surveillance of Emerging Pathogens, Including Ebola Virus.

    PubMed

    Liu, Jie; Ochieng, Caroline; Wiersma, Steve; Ströher, Ute; Towner, Jonathan S; Whitmer, Shannon; Nichol, Stuart T; Moore, Christopher C; Kersh, Gilbert J; Kato, Cecilia; Sexton, Christopher; Petersen, Jeannine; Massung, Robert; Hercik, Christine; Crump, John A; Kibiki, Gibson; Maro, Athanasia; Mujaga, Buliga; Gratz, Jean; Jacob, Shevin T; Banura, Patrick; Scheld, W Michael; Juma, Bonventure; Onyango, Clayton O; Montgomery, Joel M; Houpt, Eric; Fields, Barry

    2016-01-01

    Acute febrile illness (AFI) is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet an etiologic agent is often not identified. Convalescent-phase serology is impractical, blood culture is slow, and many pathogens are fastidious or impossible to cultivate. We developed a real-time PCR-based TaqMan array card (TAC) that can test six to eight samples within 2.5 h from sample to results and can simultaneously detect 26 AFI-associated organisms, including 15 viruses (chikungunya, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever [CCHF] virus, dengue, Ebola virus, Bundibugyo virus, Sudan virus, hantaviruses [Hantaan and Seoul], hepatitis E, Marburg, Nipah virus, o'nyong-nyong virus, Rift Valley fever virus, West Nile virus, and yellow fever virus), 8 bacteria (Bartonella spp., Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii, Leptospira spp., Rickettsia spp., Salmonella enterica and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, and Yersinia pestis), and 3 protozoa (Leishmania spp., Plasmodium spp., and Trypanosoma brucei). Two extrinsic controls (phocine herpesvirus 1 and bacteriophage MS2) were included to ensure extraction and amplification efficiency. Analytical validation was performed on spiked specimens for linearity, intra-assay precision, interassay precision, limit of detection, and specificity. The performance of the card on clinical specimens was evaluated with 1,050 blood samples by comparison to the individual real-time PCR assays, and the TAC exhibited an overall 88% (278/315; 95% confidence interval [CI], 84% to 92%) sensitivity and a 99% (5,261/5,326, 98% to 99%) specificity. This TaqMan array card can be used in field settings as a rapid screen for outbreak investigation or for the surveillance of pathogens, including Ebola virus. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  10. Epidemiologic characteristics and military implications of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in croatia.

    PubMed

    Mulić, Rosanda; Ropac, Darko

    2002-10-01

    To analyze epidemiologic characteristics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Croatia, including military implications of the disease and measures for its prevention. We analyzed data from obligatory infectious disease reports and notification of deaths due to infectious diseases, data on the hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome epidemics in Croatia, and data collected by survey of the population, serological findings, and studies of wild rodents serving as reservoirs of the infection. During the 1987-2001 period, 235 cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome were recorded in Croatia, with 147 (62.6%) of them among Croatian Army soldiers. Mortality rate was up to 15.4% (mean 2.2%) (5/235). The highest number of cases was recorded in months of June and July, ie, during the warm season characterized by increased activity of both the animals acting as infection reservoirs and humans as hosts. The known natural foci of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome have been Plitvice and Slunj areas, Velika and Mala Kapela mountains, Zagreb area (Velika Gorica and Jastrebarsko), west Slavonia, Novska area, and Dinara Mountain. The disease has not been recorded in the littoral area and Adriatic islands. The identified causative agents include Dobrava and Puumala viruses of the genus Hantavirus, whereas rodents Clethrionomys glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus agrarius, and Apodemus sylvaticus serve as the main reservoirs of the infection. Typical biotopes of the infection in Croatia are deciduous woods. The measures of prevention in Croatia include pest control, disinfection, hygienic waste disposal, preventing rodent access to food and water, proper choice of camping sites, and health education. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome occurs predominantly in soldiers, in a sporadic or epidemic form. Because of the course of disease and potentially lethal outcome, the disease has a considerable impact on the field task performance and combat readiness of

  11. Anticipating the Species Jump: Surveillance for Emerging Viral Threats

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-12-01

    views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency...Germany** [10, 11] Hantavirus (Sin Nombre virus) Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) 1993 Four Corners area, US [12] Monkeypox (Monkeypox virus...genetically diverse Marburg viruses from Egyptian fruit bats." PLoS Pathog 5(7): e1000536. 12. "Update: Outbreak of Hantavirus Infection — Southwestern

  12. Environmental Assessment for the Maintenance, Upgrade, and Construction of the Jet Fuel Distribution System, Edwards Air Force Base, California

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-01-01

    5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR (S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER EIAP Control No. 07-0485 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING...chemical hazards such as fuel vapors, heavy metal paints, and asbestos particulates; venomous snakes; and potential exposure to hantavirus or valley...OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH Environmental hazards Personnel could be exposed to heat stress, venomous snakes, hantavirus from infected rodents, and valley

  13. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)

    MedlinePlus

    ... Email this page Print this page My Cart Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is ... Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) Other diseases What is acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)? ALL is a fast-growing ...

  14. Hypnotizability in acute stress disorder.

    PubMed

    Bryant, R A; Guthrie, R M; Moulds, M L

    2001-04-01

    This study investigated the relationship between acute dissociative reactions to trauma and hypnotizability. Acutely traumatized patients (N=61) with acute stress disorder, subclinical acute stress disorder (no dissociative symptoms), and no acute stress disorder were administered the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale within 4 weeks of their trauma. Although patients with acute stress disorder and patients with subclinical acute stress disorder displayed comparable levels of nondissociative psychopathology, acute stress disorder patients had higher levels of hypnotizability and were more likely to display reversible posthypnotic amnesia than both patients with subclinical acute stress disorder and patients with no acute stress disorder. The findings may be interpreted in light of a diathesis-stress process mediating trauma-related dissociation. People who develop acute stress disorder in response to traumatic experience may have a stronger ability to experience dissociative phenomena than people who develop subclinical acute stress disorder or no acute stress disorder.

  15. Acute pancreatitis.

    PubMed

    Talukdar, Rupjyoti; Vege, Santhi S

    2015-09-01

    To summarize recent data on classification systems, cause, risk factors, severity prediction, nutrition, and drug treatment of acute pancreatitis. Comparison of the Revised Atlanta Classification and Determinant Based Classification has shown heterogeneous results. Simvastatin has a protective effect against acute pancreatitis. Young black male, alcohol, smoldering symptoms, and subsequent diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis are risk factors associated with readmissions after acute pancreatitis. A reliable clinical or laboratory marker or a scoring system to predict severity is lacking. The PYTHON trial has shown that oral feeding with on demand nasoenteric tube feeding after 72 h is as good as nasoenteric tube feeding within 24 h in preventing infections in predicted severe acute pancreatitis. Male sex, multiple organ failure, extent of pancreatic necrosis, and heterogeneous collection are factors associated with failure of percutaneous drainage of pancreatic collections. The newly proposed classification systems of acute pancreatitis need to be evaluated more critically. New biomarkers are needed for severity prediction. Further well designed studies are required to assess the type of enteral nutritional formulations for acute pancreatitis. The optimal minimally invasive method or combination to debride the necrotic collections is evolving. There is a great need for a drug to treat the disease early on to prevent morbidity and mortality.

  16. Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (Korean Hemorrhagic Fever)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-06-29

    particles were used for a rapid serologic diagnostic test for HFRS. ’te-re were 430 cases of HFRS in Korea in 1989 and large outbreaks of scrub typhus...almost same as in 1988. A simple and rapid serologic diagnostic test for hantavirus infection was developed by high density particle agglutination...infection and HFRS b) serologic relation cif hantaviruses isolated from the different parts of the world c) development of a simple serologic diagnostic

  17. The AFHSC-Division of GEIS Operations Predictive Surveillance Program: A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Early Detection and Response to Disease Outbreaks

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-01

    borne hantavirus diseases. In Kenya, USAMRU-K discovered hantaviruses in live rodents from Marigat and Garissa (Figure 15). These viruses are now...1Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA Full list of author information is available at the end...6. AUTHOR (S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Armed Forces Health

  18. Accuracy of ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis with coexistent acute pancreatitis.

    PubMed

    Pereira, J; Afonso, A C; Constantino, J; Matos, A; Henriques, C; Zago, M; Pinheiro, L

    2017-02-01

    Acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis are acute forms of cholecystolithiasis. The presence of acute cholecystitis can lead to important changes in therapy in the early course of acute pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to identify the accuracy of ultrasonography in diagnosing acute cholecystitis with coexistent acute pancreatitis. Subjects were all those patients admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis between 1998 and 2015 who underwent cholecystectomy within 15 days of the ultrasonography performed on admittance. Patient data were analyzed retrospectively to compare the ultrasound findings with the pathological findings of the resected gallbladders. Patients were allocated to two groups according to the signs of acute cholecystitis on ultrasonography: group 1 negative and group 2 positive. One hundred and twenty patients were enrolled in the study: 77 in group 1 and 43 in group 2. Similar results were found for the two groups with respect to the pathological diagnosis of acute cholecystitis, i.e., 31.2 % for group 1 and 27.9 % for group 2. Analysis indicated that there was no correlation between the ultrasonography data and pathological findings (p = 0.708). On the basis of our study, ultrasound findings alone cannot be used to accurately diagnose acute cholecystitis in the setting of acute pancreatitis.

  19. Outcome of Acute Pancreatic and Peripancreatic Collections Occurring in Patients With Acute Pancreatitis.

    PubMed

    Manrai, Manish; Kochhar, Rakesh; Gupta, Vikas; Yadav, Thakur Deen; Dhaka, Narendra; Kalra, Naveen; Sinha, Saroj K; Khandelwal, Niranjan

    2018-02-01

    To study the outcome of acute collections occurring in patients with acute pancreatitis BACKGROUND:: There are limited data on natural history of acute collections arising after acute pancreatitis (AP). Consecutive patients of AP admitted between July 2011 and December 2012 were evaluated by imaging for development of acute collections as defined by revised Atlanta classification. Imaging was repeated at 1 and 3 months. Spontaneous resolution, evolution, and need for intervention were assessed. Of the 189 patients, 151 patients (79.9%) had acute collections with severe disease and delayed hospitalization being predictors of acute collections. Thirty-six patients had acute interstitial edematous pancreatitis, 8 of whom developed acute peripancreatic fluid collections, of which 1 evolved into pseudocyst. Among the 153 patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis, 143 (93.4%) developed acute necrotic collection (ANC). Twenty-three of 143 ANC patients died, 21 had resolved collections, whereas 84 developed walled-off necrosis (WON), with necrosis >30% (P = 0.010) and Computed Tomographic Severity Index score ≥7 (P = 0.048) predicting development of WON. Of the 84 patients with WON, 8 expired, 53 patients required an intervention, and 23 were managed conservatively. Independent predictors of any intervention among all patients were Computed Tomographic Severity Index score ≥7 (P < 0.001) and interval between onset of pain to hospitalization >7 days (P = 0.04). Patients with severe AP and delayed hospitalization more often develop acute collections. Pancreatic pseudocysts are a rarity in acute interstitial pancreatitis. A majority of patients with necrotising pancreatitis will develop ANC, more than half of whom will develop WON. Delay in hospitalization and higher baseline necrosis score predict need for intervention.

  20. Decitabine in Treating Children With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia or Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2013-01-22

    Childhood Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia With Maturation (M2); Childhood Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (M3); Recurrent Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  1. Acute Sinusitis

    MedlinePlus

    ... headache. Acute sinusitis is mostly caused by the common cold. Unless a bacterial infection develops, most cases resolve ... Acute sinusitis is most often caused by the common cold, which is a viral infection. In some cases, ...

  2. Diarrheal Diseases - Acute and Chronic

    MedlinePlus

    ... Topic / Diarrheal Diseases – Acute and Chronic Diarrheal Diseases – Acute and Chronic Basics Resources Overview Acute diarrhea is ... bulky, greasy or very bad smelling stools. Causes – Acute Diarrhea Most cases of acute, watery diarrhea are ...

  3. [Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in patients treated at the Dr. Fran Mihaljević Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb].

    PubMed

    Puljiz, Ivan; Kuzman, Ilija; Turcinov, Drago; Markotić, Alemka; Celjuska, Elvira

    2003-01-01

    The aim of the study was to examine and analyze the main epidemiologic and clinical data of 94 patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) hospitalized at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb during the HFRS outbreak in Croatia in 2002. A total of 110 patients with clinical diagnosis HFRS were treated at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb. In 110 of HFRS suspected patients, the clinical diagnosis was verified serologically in 94 patients and they were included in the retrospective study. In 93 patients the diagnosis was confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and in one patient by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Results were analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics. Puumala (PUU) virus infection was verified in 80 (85.1%), Dobrava (DOB) infection in 8 (8.5%) and cross-reactive antibodies to both PUU and DOB viruses in 5 (5.3%) HFRS patients. In one patient who was confirmed by IFA the hantavirus serotype causing HFRS could not be determined. The localities of the presumed HFRS patient exposure to hantaviruses were mostly in the Zagreb area. Most patients were aged 21-50 (83.0%) and male (76.6%). The majority of HFRS cases occurred between May and August (75.5%). A high proportion of HFRS cases were found in the general population from Zagreb and its surroundings (78.7%). The majority of patients were hospitalized in the febrile stage of the disease (70.2%). The main symptoms were: fever (100%), headache (88.3%) and backache (87.2%). Oliguria was recorded in 56.4% and, anuria in 7.5% of patients, however, only three (3.2%) patients required hemodialysis. Six patients developed hemorrhagic manifestations, especially petechiae on the skin and mucosa. One patient in the convalescent stage had subarachnoidal bleeding. Six patients had pathologic electroencephalogram (EEG) findings and two developed epileptic seizures. Lumbar puncture was performed in 12 patients without inflammatory

  4. Hemorrhagic Fever With Renal Syndrome in 4 US Soldiers, South Korea, 2005

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-11-01

    John S. Lee, Michael J. Turell, and Terry A. Klein Author affiliations: Korea University, Seoul, South Korea (J.-W. Song, S.-S. Moon, S.H. Gu, K.-J...HFRS), accounts for ≈70% of all HFRS cases in South Korea and is the most severe of the 4 rodent-borne hantaviruses (Seoul virus, Soochong virus, and...Muju virus) found there (1–3). Recently, a shrew-borne hantavirus , Imjin virus, was isolated from Ussuri white toothed shrews (Crocidura lasiura

  5. Mammalian Survey Techniques for Level II Natural Resource Inventories on Corps of Engineers Projects (Part 1)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-07-01

    Part 1) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR (S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7...that could 2 ERDC TN-EMRRP-SI-34 July 2009 potentially affect human health. Diseases of concern include lyme disease, hantavirus , and rabies...University Press. Cockrum, E. L. 1997. Rabies, lyme disease, hantavirus and other animal-borne diseases in the United States and Canada. Fisher Books

  6. SHORT REPORT

    PubMed Central

    Gu, S. H.; Dormion, J.; Hugot, J.-P.; Yanagihara, R.

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY Recent discovery of genetically distinct hantaviruses in shrews and moles (order Soricomorpha, family Soricidae and Talpidae) has challenged the conventional view that rodents serve as the principal reservoir hosts. Nova virus (NVAV), previously identified in archival liver tissue of a single European mole (Talpa europaea) from Hungary, represents one of the most highly divergent hantaviruses identified to date. To ascertain the spatial distribution and genetic diversity of NVAV, we employed RT–PCR to analyse lungs from 94 moles, captured in two locations in France, during October 2012 to March 2013. NVAV was detected in more than 60% of moles at each location, suggesting efficient enzootic virus transmission and confirming that this mole species serves as the reservoir host. Although the pathogenic potential of NVAV is unknown, the widespread geographical distribution of the European mole might pose a hantavirus exposure risk for humans. PMID:24044372

  7. High-resolution computed tomography findings of acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute interstitial pneumonia, and acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

    PubMed

    Ichikado, Kazuya

    2014-02-01

    Diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) is the pathologic feature of rapidly progressive lung diseases, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute interstitial pneumonia, and acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The clinical significance and limitation of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings in these diseases were reviewed. The HRCT findings correlate well with pathologic phases (exudative, proliferative, and fibrotic) of DAD, although it cannot detect early exudative phase. Traction bronchiolectasis or bronchiectasis within areas of increased attenuation on HRCT scan is a sign of progression from the exudative to the proliferative and fibrotic phase of DAD. Extensive abnormalities seen on HRCT scans, which are indicative of fibroproliferative changes, were independently predictive of poor prognosis in patients with clinically early acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute interstitial pneumonia, and acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

  8. Antibiotic treatment of acute respiratory infections in acute care settings.

    PubMed

    Gonzales, Ralph; Camargo, Carlos A; MacKenzie, Thomas; Kersey, Ayanna S; Maselli, Judith; Levin, Sara K; McCulloch, Charles E; Metlay, Joshua P

    2006-03-01

    To examine the patterns of antibiotic use for acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs) in acute care settings. Chart reviews were performed retrospectively on a random sample of adult ARI visits to seven Veterans Affairs (VA) and seven non-VA emergency departments (EDs) for the period of November 2003 to February 2004. Visits were limited to those discharged to home and those with primary diagnoses of antibiotic-responsive (pneumonia, acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis) and antibiotic-nonresponsive conditions (acute bronchitis, nonspecific upper respiratory tract infection [URI]). Results are expressed as adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Of 2,270 ARI visits, 62% were for antibiotic-nonresponsive diagnoses. Seventy-two percent of acute bronchitis and 38% of URI visits were treated with antibiotics (p < 0.001). Stratified analyses show that antibiotic prescription rates were similar among attending-only and housestaff-associated visits for antibiotic-responsive diagnoses (p = 0.11), and acute bronchitis (76% vs. 59%; p = 0.31). However, the antibiotic prescription rate for URIs was greater for attending-only visits compared with housestaff-associated visits (48% vs. 15%; p = 0.01). Antibiotic prescription rates for total ARIs varied between sites, ranging from 42% to 89%. Patient age, gender, race and ethnicity, smoking status, comorbidities, and clinical setting (VA vs. non-VA) were not independently associated with antibiotic prescribing. Acute care settings are important targets for reducing inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. The mechanisms accounting for lower antibiotic prescription rates observed with housestaff-associated visits merit further study.

  9. Pentoxifylline Treatment in Acute Pancreatitis (AP)

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-02-21

    Acute Pancreatitis (AP); Gallstone Pancreatitis; Alcoholic Pancreatitis; Post-ERCP/Post-procedural Pancreatitis; Trauma Acute Pancreatitis; Hypertriglyceridemia Acute Pancreatitis; Idiopathic (Unknown) Acute Pancreatitis; Medication Induced Acute Pancreatitis; Cancer Acute Pancreatitis; Miscellaneous (i.e. Acute on Chronic Pancreatitis)

  10. Acute kidney injury and cardiovascular outcomes in acute severe hypertension.

    PubMed

    Szczech, Lynda A; Granger, Christopher B; Dasta, Joseph F; Amin, Alpesh; Peacock, W Frank; McCullough, Peter A; Devlin, John W; Weir, Matthew R; Katz, Jason N; Anderson, Frederick A; Wyman, Allison; Varon, Joseph

    2010-05-25

    Little is known about the association of kidney dysfunction and outcome in acute severe hypertension. This study aimed to measure the association between baseline chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate), acute kidney injury (AKI, decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate > or =25% from baseline) and outcome in patients hospitalized with acute severe hypertension. The Studying the Treatment of Acute Hypertension (STAT) registry enrolled patients with acute severe hypertension, defined as > or =1 blood pressure measurement >180 mm Hg systolic and/or >110 mm Hg diastolic and treated with intravenous antihypertensive therapy. Data were compared across groups categorized by admission estimated glomerular filtration rate and AKI during admission. On admission, 79% of the cohort (n=1566) had at least mild chronic kidney disease (estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min in 46%, <30 mL/min in 22%). Chronic kidney disease patients were more likely to develop heart failure (P<0.0001), non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (P=0.003), and AKI (P<0.007). AKI patients were at greater risk of heart failure and cardiac arrest (P< or =0.0001 for both). Subjects with AKI experienced higher mortality at 90 days (P=0.003). Any acute loss of estimated glomerular filtration rate during hospitalization was independently associated with an increased risk of death (odds ratio, 1.05; P=0.03 per 10-mL/min decline). Other independent predictors of mortality included increasing age (P<0.0001), male gender (P=0.016), white versus black race (P=0.003), and worse baseline kidney function (P=0.003). Chronic kidney disease is a common comorbidity among patients admitted with acute severe hypertension, and AKI is a frequent form of acute target organ dysfunction, particularly in those with baseline chronic kidney disease. Any degree of AKI is associated with a greater risk of morbidity and mortality.

  11. Children hospitalized due to acute otitis media: how does this condition differ from acute mastoiditis?

    PubMed

    Laulajainen-Hongisto, Anu; Saat, Riste; Lempinen, Laura; Aarnisalo, Antti A; Jero, Jussi

    2015-09-01

    To evaluate the clinical picture and microbiological findings of children hospitalized due to acute otitis media and to analyze how it differs from acute mastoiditis. A retrospective review of the medical records of all children (0-16 years) hospitalized due to acute otitis media in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the Helsinki University Hospital, between 2003 and 2012. Comparison with previously published data of children with acute mastoiditis (n=56) from the same institute and period of time. The most common pathogens in the children hospitalized due to acute otitis media (n=44) were Streptococcus pneumoniae (18%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (16%), Streptococcus pyogenes (14%), and Staphylococcus aureus (14%). One of the most common pathogens of out-patient acute otitis media, Haemophilus influenzae, was absent. Otorrhea was common in infections caused by S. pyogenes and otorrhea via tympanostomy tube in infections caused by P. aeruginosa. In children under 2 years-of-age, the most common pathogens were S. pneumoniae (43%), Moraxella catarrhalis (14%), and S. aureus (7%). S. pyogenes and P. aeruginosa were only found in children over 2 years-of-age. Previous health problems, bilateral infections, and facial nerve paresis were more common in children hospitalized due to acute otitis media, compared with acute mastoiditis, but they also demonstrated lower CRP values and shorter duration of hospital stay. The number of performed tympanostomies and mastoidectomies was also comparatively smaller in the children hospitalized due to acute otitis media. S. aureus was more common and S. pneumoniae, especially its resistant strains, was less common in the children hospitalized due to acute otitis media than acute mastoiditis. Acute otitis media requiring hospitalization and acute mastoiditis compose a continuum of complicated acute otitis media that differs from common out-patient acute otitis media. The bacteriology of children hospitalized due to acute otitis media

  12. Rodent-borne infectious disease outbreaks after flooding disasters: Epidemiology, management, and prevention.

    PubMed

    Diaz, James H

    2015-01-01

    To alert clinicians to the climatic conditions that can precipitate outbreaks of the rodent-borne infectious diseases most often associated with flooding disasters, leptospirosis (LS), and the Hantavirus-caused diseases, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS); to describe the epidemiology and presenting clinical manifestations and outcomes of these rodent-borne infectious diseases; and to recommend both prophylactic therapies and effective control and prevention strategies for rodent-borne infectious diseases. Internet search engines, including Google®, Google Scholar®, Pub Med, Medline, and Ovid, were queried with the key words as search terms to examine the latest scientific articles on rodent-borne infectious disease outbreaks in the United States and worldwide to describe the epidemiology and presenting clinical manifestations and outcomes of LS and Hantavirus outbreaks. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable. Rodent-borne infectious disease outbreaks following heavy rainfall and flooding disasters. Heavy rainfall encourages excessive wild grass seed production that supports increased outdoor rodent population densities; and flooding forces rodents from their burrows near water sources into the built environment and closer to humans. Healthcare providers should maintain high levels of suspicion for LS in patients developing febrile illnesses after contaminated freshwater exposures following heavy rainfall, flooding, and even freshwater recreational events; and for Hantavirus-caused infectious diseases in patients with hemorrhagic fevers that progress rapidly to respiratory or renal failure following rodent exposures.

  13. Acute Central Nervous System Complications in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

    PubMed

    Baytan, Birol; Evim, Melike Sezgin; Güler, Salih; Güneş, Adalet Meral; Okan, Mehmet

    2015-10-01

    The outcome of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia has improved because of intensive chemotherapy and supportive care. The frequency of adverse events has also increased, but the data related to acute central nervous system complications during acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment are sparse. The purpose of this study is to evaluate these complications and to determine their long term outcome. We retrospectively analyzed the hospital reports of 323 children with de novo acute lymphoblastic leukemia from a 13-year period for acute neurological complications. The central nervous system complications of leukemic involvement, peripheral neuropathy, and post-treatment late-onset encephalopathy, and neurocognitive defects were excluded. Twenty-three of 323 children (7.1%) suffered from central nervous system complications during acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment. The majority of these complications (n = 13/23; 56.5%) developed during the induction period. The complications included posterior reversible encephalopathy (n = 6), fungal abscess (n = 5), cerebrovascular lesions (n = 5), syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (n = 4), and methotrexate encephalopathy (n = 3). Three of these 23 children (13%) died of central nervous system complications, one from an intracranial fungal abscess and the others from intracranial thrombosis. Seven of the survivors (n = 7/20; 35%) became epileptic and three of them had also developed mental and motor retardation. Acute central neurological complications are varied and require an urgent approach for proper diagnosis and treatment. Collaboration among the hematologist, radiologist, neurologist, microbiologist, and neurosurgeon is essential to prevent fatal outcome and serious morbidity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Frequency of Acute Hepatitis Following Acute Paraphenylene Diamine Intoxication.

    PubMed

    Ishtiaq, Rizwan; Shafiq, Sadaf; Imran, Ali; Masroor Ali, Qazi; Khan, Raheel; Tariq, Hassan; Ishtiaq, Daniyal

    2017-04-21

    Paraphenylene diamine (PPD) ingestion is manifesting as one of the more common ways of committing suicide in Southern Punjab, Pakistan, especially Bahawalpur. PPD is an ingredient of a compound commonly known "Kala Pathar" which means "Black Stone" in Urdu. It is readily available in the market at low cost and is used to dye hair and fur. Its intoxication inhibits cellular oxidation and affects the muscles causing rhabdomyolysis. This leads to myoglobinuria followed by renal failure and edema of face and throat resulting in respiratory difficulty. Very little is known about the impact of PPD intoxication on liver tissue. The purpose of the study was to find out the frequency of acute hepatitis following PPD intoxication. We reviewed the medical records of 109 patients with PPD intoxication admitted to Medical Unit-2, Bahawalpur Victoria Hospital from January 1, 2015, to June 30, 2015, in a descriptive, cross-sectional study. We noted the frequency of acute hepatitis and other complications, and we recorded the demographic features, clinical features, and outcomes of these patients. Our study included 32 men (29%) and 77 women (71%). The mean age was 22 ± 3.4 years, and most patients were young women aged 15 to 24 years. Suicidal ingestion was the leading cause of admission for 101 patients (93%). The most common clinical presentation was cervicofacial edema (95%), throat pain (88%), dysphonia (95%), cola-colored urine (100%), and oliguria (95%). Rhabdomyolysis (86%), acute hepatitis (51%), and acute renal failure (63%) were the most common clinical conditions following poisoning. Overall mortality was noted in 39 patients (36%) while all other patients achieved complete clinical recovery (64%). In patients with mortality, 20 of 39 (51%) developed acute hepatitis. Most patients (95%) in our study underwent tracheostomy. The frequency of acute hepatitis in PPD intoxication is high in this population, especially in young women. Measures need to be instituted

  15. Profile, risk factors and outcome of acute kidney injury in paediatric acute-on-chronic liver failure.

    PubMed

    Lal, Bikrant B; Alam, Seema; Sood, Vikrant; Rawat, Dinesh; Khanna, Rajeev

    2018-01-11

    There are no studies on acute kidney injury in paediatric acute-on-chronic liver failure. This study was planned with aim to describe the clinical presentation and outcome of acute kidney injury among paediatric acute-on-chronic liver failure patients. Data of all children 1-18 years of age presenting with acute chronic liver failure (Asia pacific association for the study of the liver definition) was reviewed. Acute kidney injury was defined as per Kidney Diseases-Improving Global Outcomes guidelines. Poor outcome was defined as death or need for liver transplant within 3 months of development of acute kidney injury. A total of 84 children with acute-on-chronic liver failure were presented to us in the study period. Acute kidney injury developed in 22.6% of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure. The median duration from acute-on-chronic liver failure to development of acute kidney injury was 4 weeks (Range: 2-10 weeks). The causes of acute kidney injury were hepatorenal syndrome (31.6%), sepsis (31.6%), nephrotoxic drugs (21%), dehydration (10.5%) and bile pigment related acute tubular necrosis in one patient. On univariate analysis, higher baseline bilirubin, higher international normalized ratio, higher paediatric end stage liver disease, presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and presence of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis had significant association with presence of acute kidney injury. On logistic regression analysis, presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (adjusted OR: 8.659, 95% CI: 2.18-34.37, P = .002) and higher baseline bilirubin (adjusted OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.008-1.135, P = .025) were independently associated with presence of acute kidney injury. Of the patients with acute kidney injury, 5(26.3%) survived with native liver, 10(52.6%) died and 4 (21.1%) underwent liver transplantation. Acute kidney injury developed in 22.6% of children with acute-on-chronic liver failure. Bilirubin more than 17.7 mg/dL and

  16. Serological Surveillance of Scrub Typhus, Murine Typhus, and Leptospirosis in Small Mammals Captured at Firing Points 10 and 60, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea, 2001-2005

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    Province, Republic of Korea, 2001-2005 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR (S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK...rodent-borne disease surveillance, including rodent bionom- ics, ecology, and hantaviruses , conducted at other U.S. and Korean operated military...2005 as described by O’Guinn et al (2008), as a result of a hantavirus case reported in October 2000 in a U.S. soldier who trained at these sites

  17. Flavopiridol in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, or Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2013-06-03

    Adult Acute Basophilic Leukemia; Adult Acute Eosinophilic Leukemia; Adult Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia (M7); Adult Acute Minimally Differentiated Myeloid Leukemia (M0); Adult Acute Monoblastic Leukemia (M5a); Adult Acute Monocytic Leukemia (M5b); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia With Maturation (M2); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia Without Maturation (M1); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Adult Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (M4); Adult Erythroleukemia (M6a); Adult Pure Erythroid Leukemia (M6b); Blastic Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Relapsing Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

  18. [Acute heart failure: acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock].

    PubMed

    Sánchez Marteles, Marta; Urrutia, Agustín

    2014-03-01

    Acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock are two of the main forms of presentation of acute heart failure. Both entities are serious, with high mortality, and require early diagnosis and prompt and aggressive management. Acute pulmonary edema is due to the passage of fluid through the alveolarcapillary membrane and is usually the result of an acute cardiac episode. Correct evaluation and clinical identification of the process is essential in the management of acute pulmonary edema. The initial aim of treatment is to ensure hemodynamic stability and to correct hypoxemia. Other measures that can be used are vasodilators such as nitroglycerin, loop diuretics and, in specific instances, opioids. Cardiogenic shock is characterized by sustained hypoperfusion, pulmonary wedge pressure > 18 mmHg and a cardiac index < 2.2l/min/m(2). The process typically presents with hypotension (systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg or a decrease in mean arterial pressure > 30 mmHg) and absent or reduced diuresis (< 0.5 ml/kg/h). The most common cause is left ventricular failure due to acute myocardial infarction. Treatment consists of general measures to reverse acidosis and hypoxemia, as well as the use of vasopressors and inotropic drugs. Early coronary revascularization has been demonstrated to improve survival in shock associated with ischaemic heart disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  19. Wars, disasters and kidneys.

    PubMed

    Lameire, N

    2014-12-01

    This paper summarizes the impact that wars had on the history of nephrology, both worldwide and in the Ghent Medical Faculty notably on the definition, research and clinical aspects of acute kidney injury. The paper briefly describes the role of 'trench nephritis' as observed both during World War I and II, supporting the hypothesis that many of the clinical cases could have been due to Hantavirus nephropathy. The lessons learned from the experience with crush syndrome first observed in World War II and subsequently investigated over many decades form the basis for the creation of the Renal Disaster Relief Task Force of the International Society of Nephrology. Over the last 15 years, this Task Force has successfully intervened both in the prevention and management of crush syndrome in numerous disaster situations like major earthquakes.

  20. Plagues in the ICU: a brief history of community-acquired epidemic and endemic transmissible infections leading to intensive care admission.

    PubMed

    Light, R Bruce

    2009-01-01

    The ability to diagnose and treat infectious diseases and handle infectious disease outbreaks continues to improve. For the most part, the major plagues of antiquity remain historical footnotes, yet, despite many advances, there is clear evidence that major pandemic illness is always just one outbreak away. In addition to the HIV pandemic, the smaller epidemic outbreaks of Legionnaire's disease, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and severe acute respiratory syndrome, among many others, points out the potential risk associated with a lack of preplanning and preparedness. Although pandemic influenza is at the top of the list when discussing possible future major infectious disease outbreaks, the truth is that the identity of the next major pandemic pathogen cannot be predicted with any accuracy. We can only hope that general preparedness and the lessons learned from previous outbreaks suffice.

  1. CATACAMAS VIRUS, A HANTAVIRAL SPECIES NATURALLY ASSOCIATED WITH ORYZOMYS COUESI (COUES' ORYZOMYS) IN HONDURAS

    PubMed Central

    MILAZZO, MARY L.; CAJIMAT, MARIA N. B.; HANSON, J. DELTON; BRADLEY, ROBERT D.; QUINTANA, MIGUEL; SHERMAN, CATALINA; VELÁSQUEZ, REINA T.; FULHORST, CHARLES F.

    2006-01-01

    The primary objective of this study was to extend our knowledge of the geographical distribution, genetic diversity, and natural host associations of the hantaviruses indigenous to North America. Antibody to a hantavirus was found in 5 (20.8%) of 24 Coues' oryzomys (Oryzomys couesi) and none of 41 other rodents captured near the town of Catacamas in eastern Honduras, and a hantavirus was isolated from one of the antibody-positive Coues' oryzomys. Analyses of nucleotide and amino acid sequence data indicated that the viral isolate is a strain of a novel hantaviral species (proposed species name “Catacamas virus”) that is phylogenetically most closely related to Bayou virus, a hantaviral species that is principally associated with Oryzomys palustris (marsh oryzomys) in the southeastern United States. Catacamas virus is the first evidence for the occurrence of a hantaviral species in Honduras and the first evidence that a hantaviral species is naturally associated with an Oryzomys species other than O. palustis. PMID:17124003

  2. Acute kidney failure

    MedlinePlus

    Kidney failure; Renal failure; Renal failure - acute; ARF; Kidney injury - acute ... There are many possible causes of kidney damage. They include: ... cholesterol (cholesterol emboli) Decreased blood flow due to very ...

  3. Targeted Therapy in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia or Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-04-13

    Acute Myeloid Leukemia Arising From Previous Myelodysplastic Syndrome; Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia; Myelodysplastic Syndrome; Recurrent Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Refractory Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

  4. Stressful events and coping related to acute and sub-acute whiplash-associated disorders.

    PubMed

    Pettersson, Susanne; Bring, Annika; Åsenlöf, Pernilla

    2017-03-01

    Purpose To describe daily stressors affecting and coping strategies employed by individuals with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) immediately to one month (acute) and three to four months (sub-acute) after injury events using a daily coping assessment. Levels of pain, anxiety, depressed mood and activity are also compared between phases. Method A descriptive prospective design with a content analysis approach was used. Participants completed daily coping assessments for one week during both acute and sub-acute phases. Main measure was whiplash-associated disorders-daily coping assessment (WAD-DCA). Results Nine participants used words describing recovery in the sub-acute phase; 31 described stressful events during both phases. Most frequently reported stressors were related to "symptoms", "emotions" and "occupations/studies". These were equally reported during both phases. Cognitive coping strategies were employed more often during the sub-acute phase (p = 0.008). The only behavioral strategy that increased in prevalence over time was the "relaxed" strategy (p = 0.001). Anxiety levels declined over time (p = 0.022). Conclusion The reported stressors were largely uniform across both acute and sub-acute phases; however, the use of cognitive coping strategies increased over time. The WAD-DCA captures individual stressors and coping strategies employed during a vulnerable phase of rehabilitation and can thus provide information that is useful to clinical practice. Implications for rehabilitation The WAD-DCA provides valuable information for clinical practice when employed during early phases of whiplash-associated disorder development. Reported stressors during the acute and sub-acute phases are essentially the same, whereas cognitive coping strategies grow in prevalence over time. Tailored treatments in early phases of whip-lash associated disorders may benefit from strategies aimed at matching patient-specific stressors with contextually adapted coping

  5. Evaluating the Performance of the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference Definition of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

    PubMed

    Parvathaneni, Kaushik; Belani, Sanjay; Leung, Dennis; Newth, Christopher J L; Khemani, Robinder G

    2017-01-01

    The Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference has developed a pediatric-specific definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome, which is a significant departure from both the Berlin and American European Consensus Conference definitions. We sought to test the external validity and potential impact of the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference definition by comparing the number of cases of acute respiratory distress syndrome and mortality rates among children admitted to a multidisciplinary PICU when classified by Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference, Berlin, and American European Consensus Conference criteria. Retrospective cohort study. Tertiary care, university-affiliated PICU. All patients admitted between March 2009 and April 2013 who met inclusion criteria for acute respiratory distress syndrome. None. Of 4,764 patients admitted to the ICU, 278 (5.8%) met Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome criteria with a mortality rate of 22.7%. One hundred forty-three (32.2% mortality) met Berlin criteria, and 134 (30.6% mortality) met American European Consensus Conference criteria. All patients who met American European Consensus Conference criteria and 141 (98.6%) patients who met Berlin criteria also met Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference criteria. The 137 patients who met Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference but not Berlin criteria had an overall mortality rate of 13.1%, but 29 had severe acute respiratory distress syndrome with 31.0% mortality. At acute respiratory distress syndrome onset, there was minimal difference in mortality between mild or moderate acute respiratory distress syndrome by both Berlin (32.4% vs 25.0%, respectively) and Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference (16.7% vs 18.6%, respectively) criteria, but higher mortality for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (Berlin, 43.6%; Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus

  6. [Acute anal pain].

    PubMed

    Pittet, Olivier; Demartines, Nicolas; Hahnloser, Dieter

    2013-07-01

    Acute anal pain is a common proctological problem. A detailed history together with the clinical examination are crucial for the diagnosis. An acute perianal vein thrombosis can be successfully excised within the first 72 hours. Acute anal fissures are best treated conservatively using stool regulation and topical medications reducing the sphincter spasm. A chronic anal fissure needs surgery. Perianal abscesses can very often be incised and drained in local anesthesia. Proctalgia fugax and the levator ani syndrome are exclusion diagnoses and are treated symptomatically.

  7. Reciprocal Risk of Acute Kidney Injury and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Critically Ill Burn Patients.

    PubMed

    Clemens, Michael S; Stewart, Ian J; Sosnov, Jonathan A; Howard, Jeffrey T; Belenkiy, Slava M; Sine, Christy R; Henderson, Jonathan L; Buel, Allison R; Batchinsky, Andriy I; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Chung, Kevin K

    2016-10-01

    To evaluate the association between acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute kidney injury with respect to their contributions to mortality in critically ill patients. Retrospective analysis of consecutive adult burn patients requiring mechanical ventilation. A 16-bed burn ICU at tertiary military teaching hospital. Adult patients more than 18 years old requiring mechanical ventilation during their initial admission to our burn ICU from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2011. None. A total 830 patients were included, of whom 48.2% had acute kidney injury (n = 400). These patients had a 73% increased risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome after controlling for age, gender, total body surface area burned, and inhalation injury (hazard ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.18-2.54; p = 0.005). In a reciprocal multivariate analysis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (n = 299; 36%) demonstrated a strong trend toward developing acute kidney injury (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.99-1.95; p = 0.05). There was a 24% overall in-hospital mortality (n = 198). After adjusting for the aforementioned confounders, both acute kidney injury (hazard ratio, 3.73; 95% CI, 2.39-5.82; p < 0.001) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (hazard ratio, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.58-2.94; p < 0.001) significantly contributed to mortality. Age, total body surface area burned, and inhalation injury were also significantly associated with increased mortality. Acute kidney injury increases the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome in mechanically ventilated burn patients, whereas acute respiratory distress syndrome similarly demonstrates a strong trend toward the development of acute kidney injury. Acute kidney injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome are both independent risks for subsequent death. Future research should look at this interplay for possible early interventions.

  8. Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR). Volume 15, Number 3, April 2008

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-04-01

    CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR (S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING...infl uenzae, invasive 2 0 0 2 1 Syphilis, congenital 5 10 0 0 1 Hantavirus infection 2 0 5 2 0 Syphilis, latent 17 21 27 20 37 Heat exhaustion 246 435...Syphilis, congenital 1 1 0 0 0 Hantavirus infection 2 0 4 1 0 Syphilis, latent 7 11 22 18 27 Heat exhaustion 132 301 364 380 312 Syphilis, primary

  9. Medical Surveillance Monthly Report (MSMR). Volume 16, Number 4, April 2009

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-04-01

    April 2009 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR (S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER...Hepatitis A (μ: 10) Hantavirus disease (μ: 3) Brucellosis (μ: 2) E. coli O157:H7 (μ: 3) West Nile virus (μ: 6) Dengue fever (μ: 4) Ehrlichiosis (μ...uenzae, invasive 0 0 2 2 14 Hantavirus disease 0 6 2 0 0 Heat exhaustion 542 727 566 547 452 Heat stroke 196 163 128 133 145 Hemorrhagic fever 0 0 0

  10. U.S. EPA'S ACUTE REFERENCE EXPOSURE METHODOLOGY FOR ACUTE INHALATION EXPOSURES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The US EPA National Center for Environmental Assessment has developed a methodology to derive acute inhalation toxicity benchmarks, called acute reference exposures (AREs), for noncancer effects. The methodology provides guidance for the derivation of chemical-specific benchmark...

  11. Where did the acute medical trainees go? A review of the career pathways of acute care common stem acute medical trainees in London.

    PubMed

    Gowland, Emily; Ball, Karen Le; Bryant, Catherine; Birns, Jonathan

    2016-10-01

    Acute care common stem acute medicine (ACCS AM) training was designed to develop competent multi-skilled acute physicians to manage patients with multimorbidity from 'door to discharge' in an era of increasing acute hospital admissions. Recent surveys by the Royal College of Physicians have suggested that acute medical specialties are proving less attractive to trainees. However, data on the career pathways taken by trainees completing core acute medical training has been lacking. Using London as a region with a 100% fill rate for its ACCS AM training programme, this study showed only 14% of trainees go on to higher specialty training in acute internal medicine and a further 10% to pursue higher medical specialty training with dual accreditation with internal medicine. 16% of trainees switched from ACCS AM to emergency medicine or anaesthetics during core ACCS training, and intensive care medicine proved to be the most popular career choice for ACCS AM trainees (21%). The ACCS AM training programme therefore does not appear to be providing what it was set out to do and this paper discusses the potential causes and effects. © Royal College of Physicians 2016. All rights reserved.

  12. Nonacetaminophen Drug-Induced Acute Liver Failure.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Arul M; Lewis, James H

    2018-05-01

    Acute liver failure of all causes is diagnosed in between 2000 and 2500 patients annually in the United States. Drug-induced acute liver failure is the leading cause of acute liver failure, accounting for more than 50% of cases. Nonacetaminophen drug injury represents 11% of all cases in the latest registry from the US Acute Liver Failure Study Group. Although rare, acute liver failure is clinically dramatic when it occurs, and requires a multidisciplinary approach to management. In contrast with acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure, non-acetaminophen-induced acute liver failure has a more ominous prognosis with a lower liver transplant-free survival. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Validation of the harmless acute pancreatitis score in predicting nonsevere course of acute pancreatitis.

    PubMed

    Oskarsson, V; Mehrabi, M; Orsini, N; Hammarqvist, F; Segersvärd, R; Andrén-Sandberg, A; Sadr Azodi, O

    2011-01-01

    The Harmless Acute Pancreatitis Score (HAPS) is a scoring algorithm to identify patients with nonsevere acute pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of HAPS outside its original study setting. Baseline information of all hospitalized patients with acute pancreatitis at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, between 2004 and 2009 was collected. The parameters constituting HAPS were signs of peritonitis, hematocrit and serum creatinine levels. Since hematocrit was not available in all patients, complete sample analysis was performed by replacing hematocrit with hemoglobin (strongly correlated with hematocrit; r = 0.86). In total, 531 patients with a first-time or a recurrent attack of acute pancreatitis were included. Among 353 patients with complete information on parameters constituting HAPS, 79 patients were predicted to have a nonsevere course, of whom 1 patient developed severe acute pancreatitis. The specificity of HAPS in predicting a nonsevere course of acute pancreatitis was 96.3% (95% CI: 81.0-99.9) with a corresponding positive predictive value of 98.7% (95% CI: 93.1-100). Complete sample analysis replacing hematocrit with hemoglobin level predicted a nonsevere course in 182 patients, of whom 2 patients had severe acute pancreatitis (94.3% specificity and 98.9% positive predictive value). HAPS is a highly specific scoring algorithm that predicts a nonsevere course of acute pancreatitis. Therefore, HAPS might be an additional tool in the clinical assessment of acute pancreatitis where early screening is important to treat the patients at an optimal level of care. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  14. Predictors of Acute, Rehabilitation and Total Length of Stay in Acute Stroke: A Prospective Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Ng, Yee Sien; Tan, Kristin Hx; Chen, Cynthia; Senolos, Gilmore C; Chew, Effie; Koh, Gerald Ch

    2016-09-01

    The poststroke acute and rehabilitation length of stay (LOS) are key markers of stroke care efficiency. This study aimed to describe the characteristics and identify the predictors of poststroke acute, rehabilitation and total LOS. This study also defined a subgroup of patients as "short" LOS and compared its complication rates and functional outcomes in rehabilitation with a "long" acute LOS group. A prospective cohort study (n = 1277) was conducted in a dedicated rehabilitation unit within a tertiary academic acute hospital over a 5-year period between 2004 and 2009. The functional independence measure (FIM) was the primary functional outcome measure in the rehabilitation phase. A group with an acute LOS of less than 7 days was defined as "short" acute LOS. Ischaemic strokes comprised 1019 (80%) of the cohort while the rest were haemorrhagic strokes. The mean acute and rehabilitation LOS were 9 ± 7 days and 18 ± 10 days, respectively. Haemorrhagic strokes and anterior circulation infarcts had significantly longer acute, rehabilitation and total LOS compared to posterior circulation and lacunar infarcts. The acute, rehabilitation and total LOS were significantly shorter for stroke admissions after 2007. There was poor correlation (r = 0.12) between the acute and rehabilitation LOS. In multivariate analyses, stroke type was strongly associated with acute LOS, while rehabilitation admission FIM scores were significantly associated with rehabilitation LOS. Patients in the short acute LOS group had fewer medical complications and similar FIM efficacies compared to the longer acute LOS group. Consideration for stroke type and initial functional status will facilitate programme planning that has a better estimation of the LOS duration, allowing for more equitable resource distribution across the inpatient stroke continuum. We advocate earlier transfers of appropriate patients to rehabilitation units as this ensures rehabilitation efficacy is maintained while the

  15. Management of acute pancreatitis in children.

    PubMed

    Abu-El-Haija, Maisam; Lin, Tom K; Nathan, Jaimie D

    2017-10-01

    Pediatric acute pancreatitis has been on the rise in the last decades, with an incidence close to adult pancreatitis. In the majority of cases acute pancreatitis resolves spontaneously, but in a subset of children the disease progresses to severe acute pancreatitis with attendant morbidity and mortality. Pediatric acute pancreatitis in this era is recognized as a separate entity from adult acute pancreatitis given that the causes and disease outcomes are different. There are slow but important advances made in understanding the best management for acute pancreatitis in children from medical, interventional, and surgical aspects. Supportive care with fluids, pain medications, and nutrition remain the mainstay for acute pancreatitis management. For complicated or severe pancreatitis, specialized interventions may be required with endoscopic or drainage procedures. Surgery has an important but limited role in pediatric acute pancreatitis.

  16. Acute otalgia in Nigerian children.

    PubMed

    Ijaduola, T G

    1985-12-01

    A study of 112 referred children with acute otalgia labeled 'acute otitis media' by the referring physicians was carried out at the E.N.T. clinic of Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 1981-1982. Only 11% of these were actually due to acute otitis media, reflecting poor technique at otoscopy. Of the acute otalgia cases 56% were due to ear pathology while 44% resulted from referred pain. Otological causes included foreign body in the ear (23%), acute otitis media (11%), otitis externa (10%), secretory otitis media (6%) and myringitis bullosa haemorrhagica (4%). Cases due to referred otalgia were from tonsillitis (21%), foreign body in the pharynx (5%), traditional uvulectomy (5%), and foreign body in the nose (2%). Thus, there is a need for more careful examination of the ear in all cases of acute otalgia.

  17. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

    MedlinePlus

    ... radiation. People exposed to very high levels of radiation, such as survivors of a nuclear reactor accident, have an increased risk of developing acute lymphocytic leukemia. Genetic disorders. Certain genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome, are associated with an increased risk of acute ...

  18. Acute Legionella pneumophila infection masquerading as acute alcoholic hepatitis.

    PubMed

    Hunter, Jonathan Michael; Chan, Julian; Reid, Angeline Louise; Tan, Chistopher

    2013-01-25

    A middle-aged man had deteriorated rapidly in hospital after being misdiagnosed with acute alcoholic hepatitis. Acute Legionnaires disease (Legionellosis) was subsequently diagnosed on rapid antigen urinary testing and further confirmed serologically. This led to appropriate antibiotic treatment and complete clinical resolution. Physicians caring for patients with alcohol-related liver disease should consider Legionella pneumophila in their differential diagnosis even with a paucity of respiratory symptoms.

  19. An investigation of Bartonella spp., Rickettsia typhi, and Seoul hantavirus in rats (Rattus spp.) from an inner-city neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada: is pathogen presence a reflection of global and local rat population structure?

    PubMed

    Himsworth, Chelsea G; Bai, Ying; Kosoy, Michael Y; Wood, Heidi; DiBernardo, Antonia; Lindsay, Robbin; Bidulka, Julie; Tang, Patrick; Jardine, Claire; Patrick, David

    2015-01-01

    Urban Norway and black rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) are reservoirs for variety of zoonotic pathogens. Many of these pathogens, including Rickettsia typhi, Bartonella spp., and Seoul hantavirus (SEOV), are thought to be endemic in rat populations worldwide; however, past field research has found these organisms to be absent in certain rat populations. Rats (Rattus spp.) from an inner city neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada, were tested for exposure to and/or infection with SEOV and R. typhi (using serology and PCR), as well as Bartonella spp. (using culture and sequencing). Approximately 25% of 404 rats tested were infected with Bartonella tribocorum, which demonstrated significant geographic clustering within the study area. Infection was associated with both season and sexual maturity. Seroreactivity against R. typhi and SEOV was observed in 0.36% and 1.45% of 553 rats tested, respectively, although PCR screening results for these pathogens were negative, suggesting that they are not endemic in the study population. Overall, these results suggest that the geographic distribution of rat-associated zoonoses, including R. typhi, SEOV, and Bartonella spp., is less ubiquitous than previously appreciated, and is likely dependent on patterns of dispersion and establishment of the rat reservoir host. Further study on global and local Rattus spp. population structures may help to elucidate the ecology of zoonotic organisms in these species.

  20. Acute Legionella pneumophila infection masquerading as acute alcoholic hepatitis

    PubMed Central

    Hunter, Jonathan Michael; Chan, Julian; Reid, Angeline Louise; Tan, Chistopher

    2013-01-01

    A middle-aged man had deteriorated rapidly in hospital after being misdiagnosed with acute alcoholic hepatitis. Acute Legionnaires disease (Legionellosis) was subsequently diagnosed on rapid antigen urinary testing and further confirmed serologically. This led to appropriate antibiotic treatment and complete clinical resolution. Physicians caring for patients with alcohol-related liver disease should consider Legionella pneumophila in their differential diagnosis even with a paucity of respiratory symptoms. PMID:23355576

  1. Update: Acute Heart Failure (VII): Nonpharmacological Management of Acute Heart Failure.

    PubMed

    Plácido, Rui; Mebazaa, Alexandre

    2015-09-01

    Acute heart failure is a major and growing public health problem worldwide with high morbidity, mortality, and cost. Despite recent advances in pharmacological management, the prognosis of patients with acute decompensated heart failure remains poor. Consequently, nonpharmacological approaches are being developed and increasingly used. Such techniques may include several modalities of ventilation, ultrafiltration, mechanical circulatory support, myocardial revascularization, and surgical treatment, among others. This document reviews the nonpharmacological approach in acute heart failure, indications, and prognostic implications. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Acute kidney injury in acute liver failure: a review.

    PubMed

    Moore, Joanna K; Love, Eleanor; Craig, Darren G; Hayes, Peter C; Simpson, Kenneth J

    2013-11-01

    Acute liver failure is a rare and often devastating condition consequent on massive liver cell necrosis that frequently affects young, previously healthy individuals resulting in altered cognitive function, coagulopathy and peripheral vasodilation. These patients frequently develop concurrent acute kidney injury (AKI). This abrupt and sustained decline in renal function, through a number of pathogenic mechanisms such as renal hypoperfusion, direct drug-induced nephrotoxicity or sepsis/systemic inflammatory response contributes to increased morbidity and is strongly associated with a worse prognosis. Improved understanding of the pathophysiology AKI in the context of acute liver failure may be beneficial in a number of areas; the development of new and sensitive biomarkers of renal dysfunction, refining prognosis and organ allocation, and ultimately leading to the development of novel treatment strategies, these issues are discussed in more detail in this expert review.

  3. The connection between acute otitis media and the acute abdomen.

    PubMed

    Masood, Imran; Hendriksz, Tami

    2017-06-22

    A female aged 9 years with a recent episode of acute otitis media (AOM) presented to her primary care physician with complaints of severe abdominal pain with right lower quadrant rebound tenderness, suggestive of an acute surgical abdomen. Neurological examination was normal on presentation. She was transferred to the local children's hospital for workup of appendicitis, during which she began exhibiting ataxia and slurred speech. Further evaluation revealed mastoiditis, venous sinus thrombosis and subdural empyema. Appendicitis was ruled out. We describe the first documented case of neurological complications of AOM presenting as an acute surgical abdomen without initial neurological findings. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  4. Non-infectious chemotherapy-associated acute toxicities during childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia therapy

    PubMed Central

    Schmiegelow, Kjeld; Müller, Klaus; Mogensen, Signe Sloth; Mogensen, Pernille Rudebeck; Wolthers, Benjamin Ole; Stoltze, Ulrik Kristoffer; Tuckuviene, Ruta; Frandsen, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    During chemotherapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia, all organs can be affected by severe acute side effects, the most common being opportunistic infections, mucositis, central or peripheral neuropathy (or both), bone toxicities (including osteonecrosis), thromboembolism, sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, endocrinopathies (especially steroid-induced adrenal insufficiency and hyperglycemia), high-dose methotrexate-induced nephrotoxicity, asparaginase-associated hypersensitivity, pancreatitis, and hyperlipidemia. Few of the non-infectious acute toxicities are associated with clinically useful risk factors, and across study groups there has been wide diversity in toxicity definitions, capture strategies, and reporting, thus hampering meaningful comparisons of toxicity incidences for different leukemia protocols. Since treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia now yields 5-year overall survival rates above 90%, there is a need for strategies for assessing the burden of toxicities in the overall evaluation of anti-leukemic therapy programs. PMID:28413626

  5. Andes Virus and First Case Report of Bermejo Virus Causing Fatal Pulmonary Syndrome

    PubMed Central

    Della Valle, Marcelo González; Alai, María Garcia; Cortada, Pedro; Villagra, Mario; Gianella, Alberto

    2002-01-01

    Two suspected hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) cases from Bolivia were confirmed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. (ELISA)-ANDES was performed using N-Andes recombinant antigen serology in May and July 2000. Clot RNAs from the two patients were subjected to reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing. We describe two characterized cases of HPS. One was caused by infection with Bermejo virus and the other with Andes Nort viral lineage, both previously obtained from Oligoryzomys species. This is the first report of molecular identification of a human hantavirus associated with Bermejo virus. PMID:11971782

  6. Development of recombinant canine adenovirus type-2 expressing the Gn glycoprotein of Seoul virus.

    PubMed

    Yuan, Ziguo; Zhang, Xiuxiang; Zhang, Shoufeng; Liu, Ye; Gao, Shengyan; Zhang, Fei; Xu, Huijuan; Wang, Xiaohu; Hu, Rongliang

    2008-05-01

    Seoul virus glycoprotein Gn is a major structural protein and candidate antigen of hantavirus that induces a highly immunogenic response for hantavirus vaccine. In this study, a replication-competent recombinant canine adenovirus type-2 expressing Gn was constructed by the in vitro ligation method. The Gn expression cassette, including the human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) promoter/enhancer and the SV40 early mRNA polyadenylation signal, was cloned into the SspI site of the E3 region which is not essential for proliferation of CAV-2. Expression of Gn was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting.

  7. Coronary heart disease is not significantly linked to acute kidney injury identified using Acute Kidney Injury Group criteria.

    PubMed

    Yayan, Josef

    2012-01-01

    Patients with unstable angina or myocardial infarction are at risk of acute kidney injury, which may be aggravated by the iodine-containing contrast agent used during coronary angiography; however, the relationship between these two conditions remains unclear. The current study investigated the relationship between acute kidney injury and coronary heart disease prior to coronary angiography. All patients were evaluated after undergoing coronary angiography in the cardiac catheterization laboratory of the Vinzentius Hospital in Landau, Germany, in 2011. The study group included patients with both acute coronary heart disease and acute kidney injury (as defined according to the classification of the Acute Kidney Injury Group); the control group included patients without acute coronary heart disease. Serum creatinine profiles were evaluated in all patients, as were a variety of demographic and health characteristics. Of the 303 patients examined, 201 (66.34%) had coronary artery disease. Of these, 38 (18.91%) also had both acute kidney injury and acute coronary heart disease prior to and after coronary angiography, and of which in turn 34 (16.91%) had both acute kidney injury and acute coronary heart disease only prior to the coronary angiography. However, the occurrence of acute kidney injury was not significantly related to the presence of coronary heart disease (P = 0.95, Chi-square test). The results of this study indicate that acute kidney injury is not linked to acute coronary heart disease. However, physicians should be aware that many coronary heart patients may develop kidney injury while hospitalized for angiography.

  8. [Acute hepatic vascular complications].

    PubMed

    Ochs, A

    2011-07-01

    Acute hepatic vascular complications are rare. Acute portal vein thrombosis (PVT) and the Budd-Chiari syndrome (BSC) are the leading causes. Coagulopathy and local factors are present in up to 80% of cases. Diagnosis is established by colour-coded Doppler sonography, contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Patients with acute PVT present with abdominal pain and disturbed intestinal motility. In the absence of cirrhosis anticoagulation with heparin is established followed by oral anticoagulation. In severe cases, surgical thrombectomy or transjugular thrombolysis with stent shunt may be necessary. Acute or fulminant BCS may require emergency liver transplantation or a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt, if patients present with acute liver failure. Milder cases receive anticoagulation for thrombolysis of occluded hepatic veins. Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) is diagnosed after total body irradiation or chemotherapy, the term SOS replacing the former veno-occlusive disease. The treatment of congenital vascular malformations, complications in the setting of OLTX as well as patients with hepatic involvement of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia requires significant expertise in a multidisciplinary approach.

  9. Acute mercurial pneumonitis

    PubMed Central

    Milne, James; Christophers, Allen; Silva, Pamela De

    1970-01-01

    Milne, J., Christophers, A., and de Silva, Pamela (1970).Brit. J. industr. Med.,27, 334-338. Acute mercurial pneumonitis. Mercury vapour has been shown to cause acute effects on the lung when inhaled in high concentrations. Four men, exposed to mercury inside a tank, developed, hours later, signs and symptoms of an acute febrile illness with severe pulmonary irritation, characterized by fever, rigors, cough, dyspnoea, and tightness in the chest. A review of the literature revealed that this syndrome had been described and investigated previously in fewer than 20 cases during the past 40 years, and is apparently little known. Fatalities have been described, particularly in children, and necropsy evidence has consistently revealed the pattern of an acute diffuse interstitial pneumonitis, accompanied by profuse fibrinous exudation and erosion of the bronchial and bronchiolar lining. The two common features in all reports are the heating of mercury or the entering into a confined space, or both. Adequate respiratory protection by an efficient air-supplied respirator is mandatory in industrial circumstances of the kind described in this report. PMID:5488692

  10. Acute respiratory distress syndrome

    MedlinePlus

    ... page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000103.htm Acute respiratory distress syndrome To use the sharing features on this page, please enable JavaScript. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening lung ...

  11. Acute toxic nephropathies: clinical pathologic correlations.

    PubMed

    Muehrcke, R C; Volini, F I; Morris, A M; Moles, J B; Lawrence, A G

    1976-01-01

    Man's ever increasing exposure to numerous drugs and chemicals, which are the results of medical and industrial progress, produces a by-product of acute toxic nephropathies. These include acute toxic renal failure, drug-induced acute oliguric renal failure, acute hemorrhagic glomerulonephritis, nephrotic syndrome, tubular disturbances and potassium deficiency. In depth information is provided for the previously mentioned disorders.

  12. Clinical characteristics of acute encephalopathy with acute brain swelling: A peculiar type of acute encephalopathy.

    PubMed

    Nukui, Megumi; Kawawaki, Hisashi; Inoue, Takeshi; Kuki, Ichiro; Okazaki, Shin; Amo, Kiyoko; Togawa, Masao; Ishikawa, Junichi; Rinka, Hiroshi; Shiomi, Masashi

    2018-06-07

    Acute encephalopathy has been observed with acute brain swelling (ABS) that is characterized by rapid progression to whole-brain swelling. The objective of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of ABS. We encountered four patients with ABS and retrospectively investigated their clinical data with a medical chart review. Three patients had seizure clustering or status epilepticus in the clinical course. Signs of elevated intracranial pressure (ICP) appeared 3-9 h after the first convulsive attack in three patients. In all patients, signs of brainstem involvement appeared 1-8 h after signs of elevated ICP. Mild hyponatremia that progressed after signs of elevated ICP appeared was noted in three patients. Brain CT revealed mild brain swelling in the initial phase, which rapidly progressed to whole-brain swelling. No focal abnormalities were detected on brain MRI in one patient. Continuous electroencephalography was initially normal, but in two patients, high-amplitude slow waves appeared with rapid changes before signs of brainstem involvement. Although recovery was achieved without sequelae in two patients, outcome was fatal for the other two. The pathogenesis of ABS has yet to be clarified, but clinical features in our patients are not consistent with any established subtypes of acute encephalopathy. Therefore, we believe that ABS should be recognized as a new type of acute encephalopathy. Copyright © 2018 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Biomarkers in acute heart failure.

    PubMed

    Mallick, Aditi; Januzzi, James L

    2015-06-01

    The care of patients with acutely decompensated heart failure is being reshaped by the availability and understanding of several novel and emerging heart failure biomarkers. The gold standard biomarkers in heart failure are B-type natriuretic peptide and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, which play an important role in the diagnosis, prognosis, and management of acute decompensated heart failure. Novel biomarkers that are increasingly involved in the processes of myocardial injury, neurohormonal activation, and ventricular remodeling are showing promise in improving diagnosis and prognosis among patients with acute decompensated heart failure. These include midregional proatrial natriuretic peptide, soluble ST2, galectin-3, highly-sensitive troponin, and midregional proadrenomedullin. There has also been an emergence of biomarkers for evaluation of acute decompensated heart failure that assist in the differential diagnosis of dyspnea, such as procalcitonin (for identification of acute pneumonia), as well as markers that predict complications of acute decompensated heart failure, such as renal injury markers. In this article, we will review the pathophysiology and usefulness of established and emerging biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis, prognosis, and management of acute decompensated heart failure. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  14. Pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: definition, incidence, and epidemiology: proceedings from the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference.

    PubMed

    Khemani, Robinder G; Smith, Lincoln S; Zimmerman, Jerry J; Erickson, Simon

    2015-06-01

    Although there are similarities in the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome in adults and children, pediatric-specific practice patterns, comorbidities, and differences in outcome necessitate a pediatric-specific definition. We sought to create such a definition. A subgroup of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome investigators who drafted a pediatric-specific definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome based on consensus opinion and supported by detailed literature review tested elements of the definition with patient data from previously published investigations. International PICUs. Children enrolled in published investigations of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. None. Several aspects of the proposed pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome definition align with the Berlin Definition of acute respiratory distress syndrome in adults: timing of acute respiratory distress syndrome after a known risk factor, the potential for acute respiratory distress syndrome to coexist with left ventricular dysfunction, and the importance of identifying a group of patients at risk to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome. There are insufficient data to support any specific age for "adult" acute respiratory distress syndrome compared with "pediatric" acute respiratory distress syndrome. However, children with perinatal-related respiratory failure should be excluded from the definition of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Larger departures from the Berlin Definition surround 1) simplification of chest imaging criteria to eliminate bilateral infiltrates; 2) use of pulse oximetry-based criteria when PaO2 is unavailable; 3) inclusion of oxygenation index and oxygen saturation index instead of PaO2/FIO2 ratio with a minimum positive end-expiratory pressure level for invasively ventilated patients; 4) and specific inclusion of children with preexisting chronic lung disease or cyanotic congenital heart disease. This

  15. /sup 99m/Tc-IDA imaging in the differential diagnosis of acute cholecystitis and acute pancreatitis

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fonseca, C.; Greenberg, D.; Rosenthall, L.

    1979-02-01

    Technetium-/sup 99m/-labelled dimethly-acetanilide-iminodiacetic acid (/sup 99m/Tc-IDA) hepato-biliary imaging was evaluated for its efficacy in distinguishing acute cholecystitis from acute pancreatitis. In a retrospective review, gallbladders were demonstrated by /sup 99m/Tc-IDA in 13 of 15 patients (87%) with acute pancreatitis. This is significantly higher than reports on the frequency of gallbladder filling with oral and intravenous cholangiography in the presence of acute cholecystitis.

  16. Clinical and microbiological characteristics of spontaneous acute prostatitis and transrectal prostate biopsy-related acute prostatitis: Is transrectal prostate biopsy-related acute prostatitis a distinct acute prostatitis category?

    PubMed

    Kim, Jong Wook; Oh, Mi Mi; Bae, Jae Hyun; Kang, Seok Ho; Park, Hong Seok; Moon, Du Geon

    2015-06-01

    This study aimed to compare the clinical and microbiological characteristics between acute bacterial prostatitis and transrectal biopsy-related acute prostatitis. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 135 patients hospitalized for acute prostatitis in three urological centers between 2004 and 2013. Acute bacterial prostatitis was diagnosed according to typical symptoms, findings of physical examination, and laboratory test results. Clinical variables, laboratory test results, and anti-microbial susceptibility results were reviewed. Patients were classified into the spontaneous acute prostatitis group (S-ABP) or biopsy-related acute prostatitis (Bx-ABP) for comparison of their clinical, laboratory, and microbiological findings. The mean age of all patients was 61.7 ± 12.9 years. Compared with S-ABP patients, Bx-ABP patients were significantly older, had larger prostate volumes, higher PSA values, higher peak fever temperatures, and higher incidence of septicemia and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Overall, of the 135 patients, 57.8% had positive bacterial urine and/or blood cultures. Bx-ABP patients had a higher incidence of bacterial (urine and/or blood) positive cultures compared to S-ABP patients (66.7% versus 55.6%). Escherichia coli was the predominant organism in both groups, but it was more common in Bx-ABP (88.9%) than in S-ABP (66.7%). Extended spectrum beta-lactamase -producing bacteria accounted for 64.7% of culture-positive patients in the Bx-ABP group compared to 13.3% in the S-ABP group. Bx-ABP patients showed a higher incidence of septicemia and antibiotic-resistant bacteria than S-ABP patients. These results have important implications for the management and antimicrobial treatment of Bx-ABP, which may well deserve to be considered a distinct prostatitis category. Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. [Study of 3D-pcASL in differentiation of acute cerebral infarction and acute encephalitis].

    PubMed

    Mao, Chuanwan; Fu, Yuchuan; Ye, Xinjian; Wu, Aiqin; Yan, Zhihan

    2015-06-16

    To investigate the value of three-dimentional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion imaging in differentiating acute cerebral infarction from acute encephalitis. From September 2013 to September 2014, 42 patients with actue stroke onset and 20 healthy volunteers underwent conventional brain MRI DWI and 3D-ASL Perfusion Imaging in our hospital. Only 20 patients whose lesions located in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory were enrolled in this study. Of these cases, 12 cases were diagnosed with acute cerebral infarction, 8 were diagnosed with encephalitis. First, we analyzed the imaging features of the 20 patients and 20 volunteers. Then, CBF values of the lesions in the 20 patients and the gray matter of MCA territory in the 20 volunteers were measured on 3D-pcASL images. Third, the difference of mean CBF values between patients and volunteers were analyzed. Out of 20 study group, 19 patients whose lesions presented high signal intensity on DWI images, 12 cases were acute cerebral infarction and 8 were encephalitis. All the lesions of 20 cases showed abnormal perfusion on 3D-pcASL images. 3D-pcASL has good consistency with DWI in diagnostic capabilities (χ² = 0.565, P = 0.01). On 3D-pcASL, 11 acute cerebral infarction patients presented perfusion defects or low perfusion, 1 acute cerebral infarction patients showed high perfusion, 8 encephalitis patients showed inhomogeneous perfusion. The mean value of CBF was (17 ± 6) ml · min⁻¹ · 100 g⁻¹ in 12 acute cerebral infarction patients, (136 ± 69) ml · min⁻¹ · 100 g⁻¹ in 8 encephalitis patients and (68 ± 12) ml · min⁻¹ · 100 g⁻¹ three in 20 healthy volunteers. The difference in mean value of CBF among the three groups was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Acute cerebral infarction often shows low perfusion and acute encephalitis shows high perfusion on 3D-pcASL images, which has a higher application value in diagnosis and differentiation of acute cerebral

  18. Lenalidomide in Treating Older Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2014-07-25

    Adult Acute Basophilic Leukemia; Adult Acute Eosinophilic Leukemia; Adult Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia (M7); Adult Acute Minimally Differentiated Myeloid Leukemia (M0); Adult Acute Monoblastic Leukemia (M5a); Adult Acute Monocytic Leukemia (M5b); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia With Maturation (M2); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia Without Maturation (M1); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Adult Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (M4); Adult Erythroleukemia (M6a); Adult Pure Erythroid Leukemia (M6b); Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  19. [Perioperative acute kidney injury and failure].

    PubMed

    Chhor, Vibol; Journois, Didier

    2014-04-01

    Perioperative period is very likely to lead to acute renal failure because of anesthesia (general or perimedullary) and/or surgery which can cause acute kidney injury. Characterization of acute renal failure is based on serum creatinine level which is imprecise during and following surgery. Studies are based on various definitions of acute renal failure with different thresholds which skewed their comparisons. The RIFLE classification (risk, injury, failure, loss, end stage kidney disease) allows clinicians to distinguish in a similar manner between different stages of acute kidney injury rather than using a unique definition of acute renal failure. Acute renal failure during the perioperative period can mainly be explained by iatrogenic, hemodynamic or surgical causes and can result in an increased morbi-mortality. Prevention of this complication requires hemodynamic optimization (venous return, cardiac output, vascular resistance), discontinuation of nephrotoxic drugs but also knowledge of the different steps of the surgery to avoid further degradation of renal perfusion. Diuretics do not prevent acute renal failure and may even push it forward especially during the perioperative period when venous retourn is already reduced. Edema or weight gain following surgery are not correlated with the vascular compartment volume, much less with renal perfusion. Treatment of perioperative acute renal failure is similar to other acute renal failure. Renal replacement therapy must be mastered to prevent any additional risk of hemodynamic instability or hydro-electrolytic imbalance. Copyright © 2014 Association Société de néphrologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Atorvastatin Use Associated With Acute Pancreatitis

    PubMed Central

    Lai, Shih-Wei; Lin, Cheng-Li; Liao, Kuan-Fu

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Few data are present in the literature on the relationship between atorvastatin use and acute pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to explore this issue in Taiwan. Using representative claims data established from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program, this case–control study consisted of 5810 cases aged 20 to 84 years with a first-time diagnosis of acute pancreatitis during the period 1998 to 2011and 5733 randomly selected controls without acute pancreatitis. Both cases and controls were matched by sex, age, comorbidities, and index year of diagnosing acute pancreatitis. Subjects who at least received 1 prescription for other statins or nonstatin lipid-lowering drugs were excluded from the study. If subjects never had 1 prescription for atorvastatin, they were defined as never use of atorvastatin. Current use of atorvastatin was defined as subjects whose last remaining 1 tablet of atorvastatin was noted ≤7 days before the date of diagnosing acute pancreatitis. Late use of atorvastatin was defined as subjects whose last remaining 1 tablet of atorvastatin was noted >7 days before the date of diagnosing acute pancreatitis. The odds ratio with 95% confidence interval of acute pancreatitis associated with atorvastatin use was calculated by using the logistic regression analysis. The logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio of acute pancreatitis was 1.67 for subjects with current use of atorvastatin (95% confidence interval 1.18, 2.38), when compared with subjects with never use of atorvastatin. The odds ratio decreased to 1.15 for those with late use of atorvastatin (95% confidence interval 0.87, 1.52), but without statistical significance. Current use of atorvastatin is associated with the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Clinically, clinicians should consider the possibility of atorvastatin-associated acute pancreatitis when patients present with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis without a definite etiology but are taking

  1. The pathology of acute appendicitis.

    PubMed

    Carr, N J

    2000-02-01

    Although acute appendicitis is frequent, it is subject to common misconceptions. Furthermore, there is little good evidence to support some of our beliefs. This report reviews the role of the anatomic pathologist in diagnosis when acute appendicitis is suspected clinically and discusses what is known of its pathology. The conclusions that can be legitimately drawn from the literature are emphasized. A classification is proposed that incorporates intraluminal inflammation, acute mucosal inflammation, acute mucosal and submucosal inflammation, suppurative (phlegmonous) appendicitis, gangrenous appendicitis, and periappendicitis, and the significance of each of these diagnoses is discussed. The etiology and pathogenesis of acute appendicitis is reviewed. Contrary to popular belief, the best evidence indicates that obstruction is unlikely to be the primary cause, at least in the majority of cases. Ancillary techniques in the diagnosis of appendicitis, including laparoscopy and peritoneal aspiration cytology, are discussed.

  2. [Latest advances in acute pancreatitis].

    PubMed

    de-Madaria, Enrique

    2015-09-01

    The present article analyses the main presentations on acute pancreatitis at Digestive Disease Week 2015. Arterial pseudoaneurysm is an uncommon complication of acute pancreatitis (incidence 0.7%) and mortality from this cause is currently anecdotal. Diabetes mellitus has little impact on the clinical course of acute pancreatitis, unlike cirrhosis, which doubles the risk of mortality. Intake of unsaturated fat could be associated with an increased severity of acute pancreatitis and is a confounding factor in studies evaluating the relationship between obesity and morbidity and mortality. PET-CT (positron emission tomography-computed tomography) could be a non-invasive tool to detect infection of collections in acute pancreatitis. Peripancreatic fat necrosis is less frequent than pancreatic fat necrosis and is associated with a better clinical course. If the clinical course is poor, increasing the calibre of the percutaneous drains used in the treatment of infected necrosis can avoid surgery in 20% of patients. The use of low molecular-weight heparin in moderate or severe pancreatitis could be associated with a better clinical course, specifically with a lower incidence of necrosis. In acute recurrent pancreatitis, simvastatin is a promising drug for prophylaxis of new episodes of acute pancreatitis. Nutritional support through a nasogastric tube does not improve clinical course compared with oral nutrition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Veliparib and Temozolomide in Treating Patients With Acute Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-04-20

    Accelerated Phase of Disease; Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Acute Myeloid Leukemia Arising From Previous Myelodysplastic Syndrome; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13.1q22); CBFB-MYH11; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13.1;q22); CBFB-MYH11; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21); (q22; q22.1); RUNX1-RUNX1T1; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(9;11)(p22.3;q23.3); MLLT3-KMT2A; Adult Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia With PML-RARA; Adult B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Adult B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia With t(9;22)(q34.1;q11.2); BCR-ABL1; Adult T Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Alkylating Agent-Related Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Blastic Phase; Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Recurrent Disease; Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  4. Tipifarnib in Treating Older Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2015-03-19

    Adult Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia; Adult Acute Monoblastic Leukemia; Adult Acute Monocytic Leukemia; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13.1q22); CBFB-MYH11; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Maturation; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Minimal Differentiation; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13.1;q22); CBFB-MYH11; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); RUNX1-RUNX1T1; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(9;11)(p22;q23); MLLT3-MLL; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Without Maturation; Adult Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia; Adult Erythroleukemia; Adult Pure Erythroid Leukemia; Alkylating Agent-Related Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  5. Acute Kidney Injury in the Elderly

    PubMed Central

    Abdel-Kader, Khaled; Palevsky, Paul

    2009-01-01

    Synopsis The aging kidney undergoes a number of important anatomic and physiologic changes that increase the risk of acute kidney injury (formerly acute renal failure) in the elderly. This article reviews these changes and discusses the diagnoses frequently encountered in the elderly patient with acute kidney injury. The incidence, staging, evaluation, management, and prognosis of acute kidney injury are also examined with special focus given to older adults. PMID:19765485

  6. Acute computed tomography findings in patients with acute confusion of non-traumatic aetiology.

    PubMed

    West, W M; Ali, A; West, K P; Stultz, R

    2011-10-01

    A retrospective review was undertaken of all patients referred for computed tomography (CT) scans of the head for acute onset of confusion, not consequent on head trauma, during the period June 1, 2004 to May 31, 2007. Data were obtained by Microsoft Word search of the reports of the Radiology Department of the University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica. Two hundred and twenty-one patients were reviewed: 103 men and 118 women. The mean age of the sample was 64 years; 168 patients (76%) were 50 years old or older. Computed tomography scans were reported normal in 170 (76.9%) patients; 45 patients (20.4%) had definite acute intracranial CT findings. Findings were equivocal in three patients (1.4%) and unavailable for three (1.4%); 23.2% and 15.6% of patients above and below the age of 50 years respectively showed acute abnormalities on CT The most common acute finding on CT scan was an ischaemic infarct (68%). Other abnormalities included intracerebral haemorrhage and metastases 6.2% each, toxoplasmosis and primary brain tumour 4.2% each and subdural haematoma and meningitis 2.1% each. The diagnoses of toxoplasmosis were made based on appearances typical of toxoplasmosis on CT scans in patients whose request stated that they were HIV positive. In the sample reviewed, most patients who presented with acute confusion were above the age of 50 years. Overall, 20.4% of patients from all age groups had acute abnormalities on CT with a relative higher proportion, 23.2% versus 15.6% of those over 50 years, having acute pathology. The most common abnormality was an ischaemic infarct. This finding is similar to that in developed countries and unlike that seen in other developing countries where infectious aetiologies predominate.

  7. Acute pancreatitis in cats with hepatic lipidosis.

    PubMed

    Akol, K G; Washabau, R J; Saunders, H M; Hendrick, M J

    1993-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to characterize the incidence, clinical features, and prognosis of acute pancreatitis in cats with hepatic lipidosis. Of 13 cats histologically diagnosed with hepatic lipidosis between July 1988, and November 1989, 5(38%) were also histologically diagnosed with acute pancreatitis. In cats with hepatic lipidosis alone, the signalment, history, physical examination, and clinicopathologic findings were generally indistinguishable from those of cats with concurrent acute pancreatitis except that cats with acute pancreatitis were more likely to be cachectic and to have coagulation abnormalities. Hepatomegaly was seen on abdominal radiographs in both groups. Of the 5 cats with concurrent acute pancreatitis, abdominal ultrasonography detected 1 cat with a hypoechoic pancreas and 5 with peritoneal effusion; those abnormalities were not seen in cats without concurrent acute pancreatitis. Cats with concurrent acute pancreatitis had only a 20% recovery rate, compared with a 50% recovery rate in cats with hepatic lipidosis alone. We conclude that cats with hepatic lipidosis should be rigorously evaluated for concurrent acute pancreatitis because of 1) the rate of disease coincidence, 2) the inability of signalment, history, physical examination, and clinicopathologic findings to adequately distinguish between hepatic lipidosis and acute pancreatitis, 3) the worse prognosis associated with concurrent acute pancreatitis, and 4) the opposing nutritional strategies for hepatic lipidosis and acute pancreatitis.

  8. Immunocytochemical markers in acute leukaemias diagnosis.

    PubMed

    Gluzman, D F; Nadgornaya, V A; Sklyarenko, L M; Ivanovskaya, T S; Poludnenko, L Yu; Ukrainskaya, N I

    2010-09-01

    The study included 1742 patients with acute myeloblastic leukaemias (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALL), Kyiv city residents and patients from 20 regions of Ukraine. Bone marrow and blood smears were sent at diagnosis to Reference Center. The analysis was based on May-Grünvald-Giemza (MGG) stain and cytochemical reactions (MPO, acNSE, CAE, AP, PAS). Immunocytochemical techniques (APAAP, LSAB) and broad panel of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against lineage specific and differentiation antigens of leukocytes were employed for immunophenotyping of leukemic blast cells directly in blood and bone marrow smears. Different types of AML were defined by the expression of the cell surface and cytoplasmic antigens. Immunocytochemical study was required especially in diagnosing of AML with minimal differentiation, acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia, acute erythroid leukaemia and acute leukaemias of ambiguous lineage. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemias was broadly classified into B-lineage and T-lineage ALL. According to the degree of B-lymphoid differentiation of the blast cells four subtypes of B-lineage ALL were established. T-lineage ALL observed in patients were also divided into four subtypes. Immunocytochemical examination was required to diagnose AL of ambiguous lineage with no clear evidence of lineage differentiation (acute undifferentiated leukaemia) or those with blasts that express markers of more than one lineage (mixed phenotype acute leukaemias).

  9. Acute pancreatitis in children and adolescents

    PubMed Central

    Suzuki, Mitsuyoshi; Sai, Jin Kan; Shimizu, Toshiaki

    2014-01-01

    In this Topic Highlight, the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of acute pancreatitis in children are discussed. Acute pancreatitis should be considered during the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in children and requires prompt treatment because it may become life-threatening. The etiology, clinical manifestations, and course of acute pancreatitis in children are often different than in adults. Therefore, the specific features of acute pancreatitis in children must be considered. The etiology of acute pancreatitis in children is often drugs, infections, trauma, or anatomic abnormalities. Diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms (such as abdominal pain and vomiting), serum pancreatic enzyme levels, and imaging studies. Several scoring systems have been proposed for the assessment of severity, which is useful for selecting treatments and predicting prognosis. The basic pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis does not greatly differ between adults and children, and the treatments for adults and children are similar. In large part, our understanding of the pathology, optimal treatment, assessment of severity, and outcome of acute pancreatitis in children is taken from the adult literature. However, we often find that the common management of adult pancreatitis is difficult to apply to children. With advances in diagnostic techniques and treatment methods, severe acute pancreatitis in children is becoming better understood and more controllable. PMID:25400985

  10. Acute hepatitis C and HIV coinfection.

    PubMed

    Dionne-Odom, Jodie; Osborn, Melissa K; Radziewicz, Henry; Grakoui, Arash; Workowski, Kimberly

    2009-12-01

    Hepatitis C is a common infection worldwide, but acute infection is often asymptomatic and difficult to diagnose. People coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C might progress to chronic liver disease more quickly. We present a case of a man infected with HIV with sexually acquired acute hepatitis C and discuss the immunology, natural history, and epidemiology of acute hepatitis C and coinfection with HIV. Several recent reports have documented acute hepatitis C among men who have sex with men who engage in high risk sexual practices and often have concomitant genital ulcer disease. We review treatment options for the medical management of acute hepatitis C and coinfection with HIV.

  11. Acute periodontal lesions.

    PubMed

    Herrera, David; Alonso, Bettina; de Arriba, Lorenzo; Santa Cruz, Isabel; Serrano, Cristina; Sanz, Mariano

    2014-06-01

    This review provides updates on acute conditions affecting the periodontal tissues, including abscesses in the periodontium, necrotizing periodontal diseases and other acute conditions that cause gingival lesions with acute presentation, such as infectious processes not associated with oral bacterial biofilms, mucocutaneous disorders and traumatic and allergic lesions. A periodontal abscess is clinically important because it is a relatively frequent dental emergency, it can compromise the periodontal prognosis of the affected tooth and bacteria within the abscess can spread and cause infections in other body sites. Different types of abscesses have been identified, mainly classified by their etiology, and there are clear differences between those affecting a pre-existing periodontal pocket and those affecting healthy sites. Therapy for this acute condition consists of drainage and tissue debridement, while an evaluation of the need for systemic antimicrobial therapy will be made for each case, based on local and systemic factors. The definitive treatment of the pre-existing condition should be accomplished after the acute phase is controlled. Necrotizing periodontal diseases present three typical clinical features: papilla necrosis, gingival bleeding and pain. Although the prevalence of these diseases is not high, their importance is clear because they represent the most severe conditions associated with the dental biofilm, with very rapid tissue destruction. In addition to bacteria, the etiology of necrotizing periodontal disease includes numerous factors that alter the host response and predispose to these diseases, namely HIV infection, malnutrition, stress or tobacco smoking. The treatment consists of superficial debridement, careful mechanical oral hygiene, rinsing with chlorhexidine and daily re-evaluation. Systemic antimicrobials may be used adjunctively in severe cases or in nonresponding conditions, being the first option metronidazole. Once the acute

  12. Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Latin America.

    PubMed

    Iannella, Hernán A; Luna, Carlos M

    2016-12-01

    Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region. Poverty, socioeconomic factors, and malnutrition influence the incidence and outcome of CAP in LAC. In LAC, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequent microorganism responsible for CAP, (incidence: 24-78%); the incidence of atypical microorganisms is similar to other regions of the world. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a growing problem in the LAC region, with the Caribbean being the second most affected area worldwide after Sub-Saharan Africa. Pneumococcal pneumonia remains the most common cause of CAP in HIV-infected patients, but Pneumocystis jirovecii and tuberculosis (TB) are also common in this population. The heterogeneity of the health care systems and social inequity between different countries in LAC, and even between different settings inside the same country, is a difficult issue. TB, including multidrug-resistant TB, is several times more common in South American and Central American countries compared with North America. Furthermore, hantaviruses circulating in the Americas (new world hantaviruses) generate a severe respiratory disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, with an associated mortality as high as 50%. More than 30 hantaviruses have been reported in the Western Hemisphere, with more frequent cases registered in the southern cone (Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil). Respiratory viruses (particularly influenza) remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in the elderly. Low rates of vaccination (against influenza as well as pneumococcus) may heighten the risk of these infections in low- and middle-income countries. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

  13. The outcomes of children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: proceedings from the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference.

    PubMed

    Quasney, Michael W; López-Fernández, Yolanda M; Santschi, Miriam; Watson, R Scott

    2015-06-01

    To provide additional details and evidence behind the recommendations for outcomes assessment of patients with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome from the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference. Consensus conference of experts in pediatric acute lung injury. A panel of 27 experts met over the course of 2 years to develop a taxonomy to define pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and to make recommendations regarding treatment and research priorities. The outcomes subgroup comprised four experts. When published data were lacking, a modified Delphi approach emphasizing strong professional agreement was used. The Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference experts developed and voted on a total of 151 recommendations addressing the topics related to pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome, seven of which related to outcomes after pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. All seven recommendations had strong agreement. Children with acute respiratory distress syndrome continue to have a high mortality, specifically, in relation to certain comorbidities and etiologies related to pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Comorbid conditions, such as an immunocompromised state, increase the risk of mortality even further. Likewise, certain etiologies, such as non-pulmonary sepsis, also place children at a higher risk of mortality. Significant long-term effects were reported in adult survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome: diminished lung function and exercise tolerance, reduced quality of life, and diminished neurocognitive function. Little knowledge of long-term outcomes exists in children who survive pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Characterization of the longer term consequences of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome in children is vital to help identify opportunities for improved therapeutic and rehabilitative strategies that will lessen the long-term burden of pediatric acute

  14. Acute Alcohol Intoxication Exacerbates Rhabdomyolysis-Induced Acute Renal Failure in Rats.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Jen-Pi; Lee, Chung-Jen; Subeq, Yi-Maun; Lee, Ru-Ping; Hsu, Bang-Gee

    2017-01-01

    Traumatic and nontraumatic rhabdomyolysis can lead to acute renal failure (ARF), and acute alcohol intoxication can lead to multiple abnormalities of the renal tubules. We examined the effect of acute alcohol intoxication in a rat model of rhabdomyolysis and ARF. Intravenous injections of 5 g/kg ethanol were given to rats over 3 h, followed by glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis. Biochemical parameters, including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK), were measured before and after induction of rhabdomyolysis. Renal tissue injury score, renal tubular cell expression of E-cadherin, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined. Relative to rats in the vehicle group, rats in the glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis group had significantly increased serum levels of BUN, Cre, GOT, GPT, and CPK, elevated renal tissue injury scores, increased expression of NF-κB and iNOS, and decreased expression of E-cadherin. Ethanol exacerbated all of these pathological responses. Our results suggest that acute alcohol intoxication exacerbates rhabdomyolysis-induced ARF through its pro-oxidant and inflammatory effects.

  15. Acute Alcohol Intoxication Exacerbates Rhabdomyolysis-Induced Acute Renal Failure in Rats

    PubMed Central

    Tsai, Jen-Pi; Lee, Chung-Jen; Subeq, Yi-Maun; Lee, Ru-Ping; Hsu, Bang-Gee

    2017-01-01

    Traumatic and nontraumatic rhabdomyolysis can lead to acute renal failure (ARF), and acute alcohol intoxication can lead to multiple abnormalities of the renal tubules. We examined the effect of acute alcohol intoxication in a rat model of rhabdomyolysis and ARF. Intravenous injections of 5 g/kg ethanol were given to rats over 3 h, followed by glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis. Biochemical parameters, including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cre), glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and creatine phosphokinase (CPK), were measured before and after induction of rhabdomyolysis. Renal tissue injury score, renal tubular cell expression of E-cadherin, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were determined. Relative to rats in the vehicle group, rats in the glycerol-induced rhabdomyolysis group had significantly increased serum levels of BUN, Cre, GOT, GPT, and CPK, elevated renal tissue injury scores, increased expression of NF-κB and iNOS, and decreased expression of E-cadherin. Ethanol exacerbated all of these pathological responses. Our results suggest that acute alcohol intoxication exacerbates rhabdomyolysis-induced ARF through its pro-oxidant and inflammatory effects. PMID:28824301

  16. Acute asthma during pregnancy.

    PubMed Central

    Stenius-Aarniala, B. S.; Hedman, J.; Teramo, K. A.

    1996-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Acute asthma during pregnancy is potentially dangerous to the fetus. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an acute attack of asthma during pregnancy on the course of pregnancy or delivery, or the health of the newborn infant, and to identify undertreatment as a possible cause of the exacerbations. METHODS: Five hundred and four pregnant asthmatic subjects were prospectively followed and treated. The data on 47 patients with an attack of asthma during pregnancy were compared with those of 457 asthmatics with no recorded acute exacerbation and with 237 healthy parturients. RESULTS: Of 504 asthmatics, 177 patients were not initially treated with inhaled corticosteroids. Of these, 17% had an acute attack compared with only 4% of the 257 patients who had been on inhaled anti-inflammatory treatment from the start of pregnancy. There were no differences between the groups as to length of gestation, length of the third stage of labour, or amount of haemorrhage after delivery. No differences were observed between pregnancies with and without an exacerbation with regard to relative birth weight, incidence of malformations, hypoglycaemia, or need for phototherapy for jaundice during the neonatal period. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with inadequate inhaled anti-inflammatory treatment during pregnancy run a higher risk of suffering an acute attack of asthma than those treated with an anti-inflammatory agent. However, if the acute attack of asthma is relatively mild and promptly treated, it does not have a serious effect on the pregnancy, delivery, or the health of the newborn infant. PMID:8733495

  17. Andes virus infections in the rodent reservoir and in humans vary across contrasting landscapes in Chile

    PubMed Central

    Torres-Pérez, Fernando; Palma, R. Eduardo; Hjelle, Brian; Ferres, Marcela; Cook, Joseph A.

    2009-01-01

    Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) is an emerging infectious disease first reported in Chile in 1995. Andes hantavirus (ANDV) is responsible for the more than 500 cases of HCPS reported in Chile. Previous work showed that ANDV is genetically differentiated in Chile across contrasting landscapes. To determine whether the reservoir rodent (Oligoryzomys longicaudatus) populations are also geographically segregated, we conducted range-wide spatial genetic analyses of O. longicaudatus in Chile using the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b gene. Given that landscape structure influences the incidence of hantavirus infections, we also tested 772 O. longicaudatus specimens for antibodies to ANDV captured during the period 2000 − 2006. Population genetic analyses of O. longicaudatus are largely congruent with those reported for ANDV, with the host primarily differentiated according to three defined ecoregions, Mediterranean, Valdivian rain forest and North Patagonian rain forest. Significant differences in the relative prevalence of anti-ANDV antibodies in rodent samples also were found across the three ecoregions. We relate these results to the number of reported human HCPS cases in Chile, and discuss the importance of landscape differences in light of ANDV transmission to humans and among rodent populations. PMID:19632357

  18. MS-275 and GM-CSF in Treating Patients With Myelodysplastic Syndrome and/or Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia or Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-06-16

    Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Remission; Adult Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia (M7); Adult Acute Minimally Differentiated Myeloid Leukemia (M0); Adult Acute Monoblastic Leukemia (M5a); Adult Acute Monocytic Leukemia (M5b); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia With Maturation (M2); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia Without Maturation (M1); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Adult Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (M4); Adult Erythroleukemia (M6a); Adult Pure Erythroid Leukemia (M6b); Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia; de Novo Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Myelodysplastic/Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, Unclassifiable; Previously Treated Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Recurrent Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Refractory Anemia; Refractory Anemia With Excess Blasts; Refractory Anemia With Ringed Sideroblasts; Refractory Cytopenia With Multilineage Dysplasia; Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Secondary Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Untreated Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  19. Acute Respiratory Failure in Cardiac Transplant Recipients.

    PubMed

    Komurcu, Ozgur; Ozdemirkan, Aycan; Camkiran Firat, Aynur; Zeyneloglu, Pinar; Sezgin, Atilla; Pirat, Arash

    2015-11-01

    This study sought to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of acute respiratory failure in cardiac transplant recipients. Cardiac transplant recipients >15 years of age and readmitted to the intensive care unit after cardiac transplant between 2005 and 2015 were included. Thirty-nine patients were included in the final analyses. Patients with acute respiratory failure and without acute respiratory failure were compared. The most frequent causes of readmission were routine intensive care unit follow-up after endomyocardial biopsy, heart failure, sepsis, and pneumonia. Patients who were readmitted to the intensive care unit were further divided into 2 groups based on presence of acute respiratory failure. Patients' ages and body weights did not differ between groups. The groups were not different in terms of comorbidities. The admission sequential organ failure assessment scores were higher in patients with acute respiratory failure. Patients with acute respiratory failure were more likely to use bronchodilators and n-acetylcysteine before readmission. Mean peak inspiratory pressures were higher in patients in acute respiratory failure. Patients with acute respiratory failure developed sepsis more frequently and they were more likely to have hypotension. Patients with acute respiratory failure had higher values of serum creatinine before admission to intensive care unit and in the first day of intensive care unit. Patients with acute respiratory failure had more frequent bilateral opacities on chest radiographs and positive blood and urine cultures. Duration of intensive care unit and hospital stays were not statistically different between groups. Mortality in patients with acute respiratory failure was 76.5% compared with 0% in patients without acute respiratory failure. A significant number of cardiac transplant recipients were readmitted to the intensive care unit. Patients presenting with acute respiratory failure on readmission more frequently

  20. Acute Otitis Media in Children.

    PubMed

    Leung, Alexander K C; Wong, Alex H C

    2017-01-01

    Acute otitis media is a common childhood infection. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are very important. To review in depth the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, complications and particularly treatment of acute otitis media in children. A PubMed search was completed in Clinical Queries using the key term "acute otitis media". Patents were searched using the key term "acute otitis media" from www.google.com/patents, http://espacenet.com, and www.freepatentsonline.com. Acute otitis media affects over 80% of children before their third birthday and 30 to 45% of these children have suffered two or more episodes. Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypable Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis are the most frequently isolated middle-ear pathogens. The diagnosis is based on acute onset of symptoms such as otalgia and fever, middle ear inflammation such as erythema of the tympanic membrane, and middle ear effusion. The choice of treatment method depends on the age of the child, laterality, and the severity of the disease. Recent patents related to the management of acute otitis media are also retrieved and discussed. Antimicrobial treatment is recommended for all children less than two years of age, as well as in children ≥ two years of age who have a temperature ≥ 39oC; are toxic looking; have otalgia > 48 hours; have bilateral otitis media or otorrhea; have craniofacial abnormalities; are immunocompromised; or have uncertain access to follow-up. Amoxicillin is the drug of choice. Observation without antibiotic is an option in immunocompetent children ≥ two years of age who have an acute uncomplicated otitis media and non-severe illness if appropriate follow-up can be arranged. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  1. Acute kidney injury and edaravone in acute ischemic stroke: the Fukuoka Stroke Registry.

    PubMed

    Kamouchi, Masahiro; Sakai, Hironori; Kiyohara, Yutaka; Minematsu, Kazuo; Hayashi, Kunihiko; Kitazono, Takanari

    2013-11-01

    A free radical scavenger, edaravone, which has been used for the treatment of ischemic stroke, was reported to cause acute kidney injury (AKI) as a fatal adverse event. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether edaravone is associated with AKI in patients with acute ischemic stroke. From the Fukuoka Stroke Registry database, 5689 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke who were hospitalized within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms were included in this study. A logistic regression analysis for the Fukuoka Stroke Registry cohort was done to identify the predictors for AKI. A propensity score-matched nested case-control study was also performed to elucidate any association between AKI and edaravone. Acute kidney injury occurred in 128 of 5689 patients (2.2%) with acute ischemic stroke. A multivariate analysis revealed that the stroke subtype, the basal serum creatinine level, and the presence of infectious complications on admission were each predictors of developing AKI. In contrast, a free radical scavenger, edaravone, reduced the risk of developing AKI (multivariate-adjusted odds ratio [OR] .45, 95% confidence interval [CI] .30-.67). Propensity score-matched case-control study confirmed that edaravone use was negatively associated with AKI (propensity score-adjusted OR .46, 95% CI .29-.74). Although AKI has a significant impact on the clinical outcome of hospital inpatients, edaravone has a protective effect against the development of AKI in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Copyright © 2013 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Screening for acute HIV infection in South Africa: finding acute and chronic disease

    PubMed Central

    Bassett, Ingrid V.; Chetty, Senica; Giddy, Janet; Reddy, Shabashini; Bishop, Karen; Lu, Zhigang; Losina, Elena; Freedberg, Kenneth A.; Walensky, Rochelle P.

    2010-01-01

    Background The yield of screening for acute HIV infection among general medical patients in resource-scarce settings remains unclear. Our objective was to evaluate a strategy of pooled HIV plasma RNA to diagnose acute HIV infection in patients with negative or discordant rapid HIV antibody tests in Durban, South Africa. Methods We prospectively enrolled patients with negative or discordant rapid HIV antibody tests from a routine HIV screening program in an outpatient department in Durban with an HIV prevalence of 48%. Study participants underwent venipuncture for pooled qualitative HIV RNA, and if positive, quantitative RNA, enzyme immunoassay and Western Blot (WB). Patients with negative or indeterminate WB and positive quantitative HIV RNA were considered acutely infected. Those with chronic infection (positive RNA and WB) despite negative or discordant rapid HIV tests were considered false negative rapid antibody tests. Results Nine hundred ninety-four participants were enrolled with either negative (N=976) or discordant (N=18) rapid test results. Eleven (1.1%, 95% CI: 0.6–2.0%) had acute HIV infection. Of the 994 patients, an additional 20 (2.0%, 95% CI: 1.3–.3.1%) had chronic HIV infection (false negative rapid test). Conclusions One percent of outpatients with negative or discordant rapid HIV tests in Durban, South Africa had acute HIV infection readily detectable through pooled serum HIV RNA screening. Pooled RNA testing also identified an additional 2% of patients with chronic HIV infection. HIV RNA screening has the potential to identify both acute and chronic HIV infections that are otherwise missed by standard HIV testing algorithms. PMID:20553336

  3. Acute nutritional axonal neuropathy.

    PubMed

    Hamel, Johanna; Logigian, Eric L

    2018-01-01

    This study describes clinical, laboratory, and electrodiagnostic features of a severe acute axonal polyneuropathy common to patients with acute nutritional deficiency in the setting of alcoholism, bariatric surgery (BS), or anorexia. Retrospective analysis of clinical, electrodiagnostic, and laboratory data of patients with acute axonal neuropathy. Thirteen patients were identified with a severe, painful, sensory or sensorimotor axonal polyneuropathy that developed over 2-12 weeks with sensory ataxia, areflexia, variable muscle weakness, poor nutritional status, and weight loss, often with prolonged vomiting and normal cerebrospinal fluid protein. Vitamin B6 was low in half and thiamine was low in all patients when obtained before supplementation. Patients improved with weight gain and vitamin supplementation, with motor greater than sensory recovery. We suggest that acute or subacute axonal neuropathy in patients with weight loss or vomiting associated with alcohol abuse, BS, or dietary deficiency is one syndrome, caused by micronutrient deficiencies. Muscle Nerve 57: 33-39, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. [Management of Acute Cholecystitis].

    PubMed

    Lee, Seung Ok; Yim, Sung Kyun

    2018-05-25

    Acute cholecystitis is a common serious complication of gallstones. The reported mortality of acute cholecystitis is approximately 3%, but the rate increases with age or comorbidity of the patient. If appropriate treatment is delayed, complications can develop as a consequence with a grave prognosis. The current standard of care in acute cholecystitis is an early laparoscopic cholecystectomy with the appropriate administration of fluid, electrolyte, and antibiotics. On the other hand, the severity of the disease and patient's operational risk must be considered. In those with high operational risks, gall bladder drainage can be performed as an alternative. Currently percutaneous and endoscopic drainage are available and show clinical success in most cases. After recovering from acute cholecystitis, the patients who have undergone drainage should be considered for cholecystectomy as a definitive treatment. However, in elderly patients or patients with significant comorbidity, operational risks may still be high, making cholecystectomy inappropriate. In these patients, gallstone removal using the percutaneous tract or endoscopy may be considered.

  5. Glucocorticoids improve acute dizziness symptoms following acute unilateral vestibulopathy.

    PubMed

    Batuecas-Caletrío, Angel; Yañez-Gonzalez, Raquel; Sanchez-Blanco, Carmen; Pérez, Pedro Blanco; González-Sanchez, Enrique; Sanchez, Luis Alberto Guardado; Kaski, Diego

    2015-11-01

    Acute unilateral vestibulopathy (AUV) is characterized by acute vertigo, nausea, and imbalance without neurological deficits or auditory symptomatology. Here, we explore the effect of glucocorticoid treatment on the degree of canal paresis in patients with AUV, and critically, establish its relationship with dizziness symptom recovery. We recruited consecutive patients who were retrospectively assigned to one of the two groups according to whether they received glucocorticoid treatment (n = 32) or not (n = 44). All patients underwent pure-tone audiometry, bithermal caloric testing, MRI brain imaging, and were asked to complete a dizziness handicap inventory on admission to hospital and just prior to hospital discharge. In the treatment group, the canal paresis at discharge was significantly lower than in the control group (mean ± SD % 38.04 ± 21.57 versus 82.79 ± 21.51, p < 0.001). We also observed a significant reduction in the intensity of nystagmus in patients receiving glucocorticoid treatment compared to the non-treatment group (p = 0.03). DHI test score was significantly lower at discharge in the treatment group (mean ± SD % 23.15 ± 12.40 versus 64.07 ± 12.87, p < 0.001), as was the length of hospital stay (2.18 ± 1.5 days versus 3.6 ± 1.7 days, p = 0.002). Glucocorticoid treatment leads to acute symptomatic improvement, with a reduced hospital stay and reduction in the intensity of acute nystagmus. Our findings suggest that glucocorticoids may accelerate vestibular compensation via a restoration of peripheral vestibular function, and therefore has important clinical implications for the treatment of AUV.

  6. Acute Septic Arthritis

    PubMed Central

    Shirtliff, Mark E.; Mader, Jon T.

    2002-01-01

    Acute septic arthritis may develop as a result of hematogenous seeding, direct introduction, or extension from a contiguous focus of infection. The pathogenesis of acute septic arthritis is multifactorial and depends on the interaction of the host immune response and the adherence factors, toxins, and immunoavoidance strategies of the invading pathogen. Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Staphylococcus aureus are used in discussing the host-pathogen interaction in the pathogenesis of acute septic arthritis. While diagnosis rests on isolation of the bacterial species from synovial fluid samples, patient history, clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and imaging studies are also important. Acute nongonococcal septic arthritis is a medical emergency that can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Therefore, prompt recognition, rapid and aggressive antimicrobial therapy, and surgical treatment are critical to ensuring a good prognosis. Even with prompt diagnosis and treatment, high mortality and morbidity rates still occur. In contrast, gonococcal arthritis is often successfully treated with antimicrobial therapy alone and demonstrates a very low rate of complications and an excellent prognosis for full return of normal joint function. In the case of prosthetic joint infections, the hardware must be eventually removed by a two-stage revision in order to cure the infection. PMID:12364368

  7. Acute pancreatitis associated with scrub typhus.

    PubMed

    Sv, Padmavathi Devi; M, Aruna; Kumar, Anil Cv; Krishna Reddy, Hari; Bl, Sangeetha; Siva Kumar, V

    2017-01-01

    Scrub typhus, or tsutsugamushi fever, is a zoonosis of rural Asia and the western Pacific islands. The causative organism, Orientia (formerly Rickettsia) tsutsugamushi, is transmitted to humans by the bite of a larval Leptotrombidium mite (chigger). Scrub typhus may have gastrointestinal presentations, such as acute acalculous cholecystitis, duodenal ulcer perforation, peritonitis and gastric ulceration. Acute pancreatitis with scrub typhus has been reported rarely. We report a patient of scrub typhus complicated by acute pancreatitis and acute kidney injury. © The Author(s) 2016.

  8. Acute Idiopathic Scrotal Edema: Systematic Literature Review.

    PubMed

    Santi, Maristella; Lava, Sebastiano A G; Simonetti, Giacomo D; Bianchetti, Mario G; Milani, Gregorio P

    2018-06-01

     Existing information on acute idiopathic scrotal edema relies on small case series and textbooks.  We searched reports with no date limits on acute idiopathic scrotal edema.  Thirty-seven studies were included. Sixteen case series addressed the prevalence of acute idiopathic scrotal edema among males with acute scrotum: among 3,403 cases, the diagnosis of acute idiopathic scrotal edema was made in 413 cases (12%). Twenty-four reports addressed history, findings, management, and course of acute idiopathic scrotal edema in 311 patients. The patients mostly ranged in age from 5 to 8 years, presented with acute scrotal redness and swelling, associated or not with mild pain. Ninety percent or more of the cases developed in patients without atopic diathesis and were not preceded by inguinoscrotal surgery, acute febrile illnesses, or trauma. They were afebrile; in good general condition; and presented without pruritus, nausea or vomiting, or abdominal pain. The lesions were bilateral in two-thirds and unilateral in one-third of the cases. The condition resolved spontaneously within 2 to 3 days without sequelae. Approximately 10% of the cases experienced a recurrence.  Acute idiopathic scrotal edema is a self-limiting condition that accounts for ≥ 10% of cases of acute scrotum in children and adolescents. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  9. GHS additivity formula: can it predict the acute systemic toxicity of agrochemical formulations that contain acutely toxic ingredients?

    PubMed

    Van Cott, Andrew; Hastings, Charles E; Landsiedel, Robert; Kolle, Susanne; Stinchcombe, Stefan

    2018-02-01

    In vivo acute systemic testing is a regulatory requirement for agrochemical formulations. GHS specifies an alternative computational approach (GHS additivity formula) for calculating the acute toxicity of mixtures. We collected acute systemic toxicity data from formulations that contained one of several acutely-toxic active ingredients. The resulting acute data set includes 210 formulations tested for oral toxicity, 128 formulations tested for inhalation toxicity and 31 formulations tested for dermal toxicity. The GHS additivity formula was applied to each of these formulations and compared with the experimental in vivo result. In the acute oral assay, the GHS additivity formula misclassified 110 formulations using the GHS classification criteria (48% accuracy) and 119 formulations using the USEPA classification criteria (43% accuracy). With acute inhalation, the GHS additivity formula misclassified 50 formulations using the GHS classification criteria (61% accuracy) and 34 formulations using the USEPA classification criteria (73% accuracy). For acute dermal toxicity, the GHS additivity formula misclassified 16 formulations using the GHS classification criteria (48% accuracy) and 20 formulations using the USEPA classification criteria (36% accuracy). This data indicates the acute systemic toxicity of many formulations is not the sum of the ingredients' toxicity (additivity); but rather, ingredients in a formulation can interact to result in lower or higher toxicity than predicted by the GHS additivity formula. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure.

    PubMed

    Sarin, Shiv Kumar; Choudhury, Ashok

    2016-12-01

    Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a distinct entity that differs from acute liver failure and decompensated cirrhosis in timing, presence of treatable acute precipitant, and course of disease, with a potential for self-recovery. The core concept is acute deterioration of existing liver function in a patient of chronic liver disease with or without cirrhosis in response to an acute insult. The insult should be a hepatic one and presentation in the form of liver failure (jaundice, encephalopathy, coagulopathy, ascites) with or without extrahepatic organ failure in a defined time frame. ACLF is characterized by a state of deregulated inflammation. Initial cytokine burst presenting as SIRS, progression to CARS and associated immunoparalysis leads to sepsis and multi-organ failure. Early identification of the acute insult and mitigation of the same, use of nucleoside analogue in HBV-ACLF, steroid in severe alcoholic hepatitis, steroid in severe autoimmune hepatitis and/or bridging therapy lead to recovery, with a 90-day transplant-free survival rate of up to 50 %. First-week presentation is crucial concerning SIRS/sepsis, development, multiorgan failure and consideration of transplant. A protocol-based multi-disciplinary approach including critical care hepatology, early liver transplant before multi-organ involvement, or priority for organ allocation may improve the outcome. Presentation with extrahepatic organ involvement or inclusion of sepsis as an acute insult in definition restricts the therapy, i.e., liver transplant or bridging therapy, and needs serious consideration. Augmentation of regeneration, cell-based therapy, immunotherapy, and gut microbiota modulation are the emerging areas and need further research.

  11. Current issues in Scandinavian acute psychiatric wards.

    PubMed

    Ruud, Torleif; Lindefors, Nils; Lindhardt, Anne

    2006-01-01

    The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of some of the most important issues faced by acute inpatient facilities in three Scandinavian countries, including reflections and critical remarks for discussion in this field. Information was drawn from scientific articles and official reports published in recent years, as well as the authors' own knowledge of acute facilities in their home countries. Acute inpatient facilities, including General Hospital Psychiatric Units (GHPUs), in all Scandinavian countries have several issues and problems in common, which include the organisation and capacity of acute services, the assessment of dangerousness and suicidality, the use of coercion and efforts to reduce coercion, the need to define and improve the quality of acute services, and the necessity to improve collaboration and continuity between acute services and other services. Although the emphasis some of these issues receive can vary across the three countries, Scandinavian mental health professionals (and policy makers) have begun to systematically share their experiences in developing a growing spirit of collaboration. Despite the role of welfare state and the deployment of substantial resources in Scandinavian countries, mental health practitioners are struggling to implement best practices in acute wards, to develop differentiated forms of acute services, and to reach the right balance and coordination between acute services and other services.

  12. Acute movement disorders in the medical setting.

    PubMed

    Zawar, Ifrah; Caro, Mario A; Feldman, Lara; Jimenez, Xavier F

    2016-07-01

    Objective Psychosomatic medicine psychiatrists are often tasked with the evaluation and treatment of complex neuropsychiatric states which may be motoric in phenotype. Little energy has been dedicated to understanding acute movement disorders in the hospital environment. Method Recognizing the importance of frontal-subcortical (corticostriatothalamocortical) circuitry and basal ganglia structures, we present a case series of acute movement disorder phenotypes resulting from underlying medical conditions, commonly-administered medications, or the interaction of both. We organize these scenarios into neurodegenerative disorders, primary psychiatric disorders, neuroinflammation, and polypharmacy, demonstrating a clinical example of each followed by background references on a variety of clinical states and medications contributing to acute movement disorders. In addition, we offer visual illustration of implicated neurocircuitry as well as proposed neurotransmitter imbalances involving glutamate, gamma aminobutyric acid, and dopamine. Furthermore, we review the various clinical syndromes and medications involved in the development of acute movement disorders. Results Acute movement disorder's involve complex interactions between frontal-subcortical circuits and acute events. Given the complexity of interactions, psychopharmacological considerations become critical, as some treatments may alleviate acute movement disorders while others will exacerbate them. Conclusion Integrating underlying medical conditions and acutely administered (or discontinued) pharmacological agents offers an interactional, neuromedical approach to acute movement disorders that is critical to the work of psychosomatic medicine.

  13. Acute Cardiopulmonary Failure From Sleep-Disordered Breathing

    PubMed Central

    Carr, Gordon E.; Mokhlesi, Babak

    2012-01-01

    Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) comprises a diverse set of disorders marked by abnormal respiration during sleep. Clinicians should realize that SDB may present as acute cardiopulmonary failure in susceptible patients. In this review, we discuss three clinical phenotypes of acute cardiopulmonary failure from SDB: acute ventilatory failure, acute congestive heart failure, and sudden death. We review the pathophysiologic mechanisms and recommend general principles for management. Timely recognition of, and therapy for, SDB in the setting of acute cardiopulmonary failure may improve short- and long-term outcomes. PMID:22396567

  14. Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Advanced Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Acute or Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, or Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Who Are Undergoing Stem Cell Transplantation

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-03-27

    Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(15;17)(q22;q12); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); B-cell Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; B-cell Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Childhood Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Childhood Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia; Essential Thrombocythemia; Polycythemia Vera; Previously Treated Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Recurrent Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Recurrent Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Refractory Anemia With Excess Blasts; Refractory Anemia With Excess Blasts in Transformation; Relapsing Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; T-cell Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; T-cell Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

  15. [Identifying the severe acute pancreatitis].

    PubMed

    Acevedo Tizón, Anais; Targarona Modena, Javier; Málaga Rodríguez, Germán; Barreda Cevasco, Luis

    2011-01-01

    To compare patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis without any additional complications during their hospital stay (Group A) versus patients with Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis with additional complications during their hospital stay (Group B). Data obtained from a pre-existing base from hospitalized patients with diagnosis of acute necrotizing pancreatitis in the specialized unit of "Unidad de Pancreatitis Aguda Grave del Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins" between 2000 and 2010. Data included patients with diagnosis of acute necrotizing pancreatitis, of ages 18 and over. Data from 215 patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis was included. Patients from Group A represented 32% (68) and from Group B 68% (147). Group A had a average of 39 hospitalized days and Group B had an average of 56 days (p=0.01). From Group A 22% had more than 50% of necrosis while 43% of Group B had this extension of necrosis (p <0.05, OR 3.4, IC (1.12-10)). Of the 14 deaths of the population, all part of Group B, 12 of them had more than 50% of necrosis. Not every patient classified as severe acute pancreatitis, based on the presence of necrosis, behave likewise. It is an extended necrosis, described as more than 50% of pancreatic necrosis, and not the presence itself which will determine additional complications during the course of disease and a greater mortality.

  16. [Synchronous acute cholecystolithiasis and perforated acute appendicitis. Case report].

    PubMed

    Padrón-Arredondo, Guillermo; de Atocha Rosado-Montero, Manuel

    2016-01-01

    Acute appendicitis and acute cholecystitis are among the most common diagnoses that general surgeons operate on. However, it is rarely described in its synchronous form. A 43 year-old woman attending the clinic for right upper quadrant pain of 11 days duration. The patient refers to intermittent radiating pain in the right side, with positive Murphy, tachycardia, and fever. The laboratory results showed white cells 16,200/mm(3), glucose 345 mg/dl, abnormal liver function tests. Acute cholecystitis was reported with ultrasound. A Masson-type incision was made, noting an enlarged pyogenic gallbladder with thickened walls, sub-hepatic abscess of approximately 300 ml, greenish-yellow colour, and foetid. An anterograde subtotal cholecystectomy is performed due to difficulty in identifying elements of Calot triangle due to the inflammatory process, opening it and extracting stones. The right iliac fossa is reviewed, finding a plastron and a sub-serous retrocaecal appendix perforated in its middle third with free fecalith and an abscess in the pelvic cavity. An anterograde appendectomy was performed and the patient progressed satisfactorily, later being discharged due to improvement. In this patient, with a history of recurrent episodes of gallbladder pain and disseminated acute abdominal pain without peritoneal irritation, clinical suspicion was exacerbated cholecystitis with probable empyema of the gallbladder. Open surgery approach for this patient allowed access to both the appendix and gallbladder in order to perform a complete exploration of the abdominal cavity. The synchronous presentation of cholecystolithiasis and complicated appendicitis has not been reported in the literature. Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

  17. Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding.

    PubMed

    Jocić, Tatiana; Latinović Bošnjak, Olgica; Hadnađev, Ljiljana; Damjanov, Dragomir; Savić, Željka; Orlić, Tihomir

    2014-01-01

    Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding accounts for approximately 20% of all acute gastrointestinal hemorrhages, and they are the most common urgent cases in gastroenterology. The aim of this study was to determine the most common etiology, efficacy in diagnostics and therapy, and the outcome in patients with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Data were collected from the medical records of 86 patients who had been hospitalized for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding in 2009 at the Ward of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina. The average age of the patients was 70.4 years (ranging from 37 to 88), and the largest number of patients 41/86 (47.7%) were between the ages 71 and 80. Colon diverticulosis was the most common cause of bleeding, and it occurred in 21 patients from the study sample (24.4%), and the other causes were malignant tumors (12/86, i.e. 13.9%), polyps (10/86, i.e. 11.6%), anorectal diseases (7/86, i.e. 8.3%/0) and colitis (8/86, i.e. 9.3%). No diagnostic procedures were performed in 15 patients (17.4%) due to their poor medical condition and comorbidities. The total mortality rate was 6/86 (6.9%), and the largest number of deaths occurred (5/86 i.e. 5.8%) due to a multisystem organ failure and underlying diseases which were not associated with acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Uncontrolled bleeding was the cause of death in only 1 patient (1.2%). Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding is most commonly found in the older population, whose age, comorbidities, and ongoing therapy have impact on bleeding lesions, diagnostic and therapeutic modalities and the outcomes of bleeding. Endoscopic procedures are still the gold standard in diagnostics.

  18. Acute external otitis as debut of acute myeloid leukemia - A case and review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Slengerik-Hansen, Joachim; Ovesen, Therese

    2018-03-01

    Acute leukemia is a well known childhood cancer. The relation between leukemia and otological symptoms has long been established but is highly rare as a debut symptom of leukemia. External otitis is a common condition affecting many children, and most cases are successively treated with topical medicine. Here we present a child with acute external otitis later shown to be the debut symptom of acute myeloid leukemia, to our knowledge the first specific case described. We have reviewed the literature to find red flags for suspicion of severe disease in case of acute external otitis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Esterase reactions in acute myelomonocytic leukemia.

    PubMed

    Kass, L

    1977-05-01

    Specific and nonspecific esterase reactions of bone marrow cells from 14 patients with untreated acute myelomonocytic leukemia and six patients with acute histiomonocytic leukemia were examined. The technic for esterase determination permitted simultaneous visualization of both esterases on the same glass coverslip containing the marrow cells. In cases of acute histiomonocytic leukemia, monocytes, monocytoid hemohistioblasts and undifferentiated blasts stained intensely positive for nonspecific esterase, using alpha-naphthyl acetate as the substrate. No evidence of specific esterase activity using naphthol ASD-chloroacetate as the substrate and fast blue BBN as the dye coupler was apparent in these cells. In all of the cases of acute myelomonocytic leukemia, both specific and nonspecific esterases were visualized within monocytes, monocytoid cells, and granulocytic cells that had monocytoid-type nuclei. Nonspecific esterase activity was not observed in polymorphonuclear leukocytes in cases of myelomonocytic leukemia. The results support a current viewpoint that acute myelomonocytic leukemia may be a variant of acute myeloblastic leukemia, and that cytochemically, many of the leukemic cells in myelomonocytic leukemia share properties of both granulocytes and monocytes.

  20. Patient dissatisfaction with acute stroke care.

    PubMed

    Asplund, Kjell; Jonsson, Fredrik; Eriksson, Marie; Stegmayr, Birgitta; Appelros, Peter; Norrving, Bo; Terént, Andreas; Asberg, Kerstin Hulter

    2009-12-01

    Riks-Stroke, the Swedish Stroke Register, was used to explore patient characteristics and stroke services as determinants of patient dissatisfaction with acute in-hospital care. All 79 hospitals in Sweden admitting acute stroke patients participate in Riks-Stroke. During 2001 to 2007, 104,876 patients (87% of survivors) responded to a follow-up questionnaire 3 months after acute stroke; this included questions on satisfaction with various aspects of stroke care. The majority (>90%) were satisfied with acute in-hospital stroke care. Dissatisfaction was closely associated with outcome at 3 months. Patient who were dependent regarding activities of daily living, felt depressed, or had poor self-perceived general health were more likely to be dissatisfied. Dissatisfaction with global acute stroke care was linked to dissatisfaction with other aspects of care, including rehabilitation and support by community services. Patients treated in stroke units were less often dissatisfied than patients in general wards, as were patients who had been treated in a small hospital (vs medium or large hospitals) and patient who had participated in discharge planning. In multivariate analyses, the strongest predictor of dissatisfaction with acute care was poor outcome (dependency regarding activities of daily living, depressed mood, poor self-perceived health). Dissatisfaction with in-hospital acute stroke care is part of a more extensive complex comprising poor functional outcome, depressive mood, poor self-perceived general health, and dissatisfaction not only with acute care but also with health care and social services at large. Several aspects of stroke care organization are associated with a lower risk of dissatisfaction.

  1. Investigations of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) in Yugoslavia.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-11-07

    Hantaan virus, occurs in Korea, the People’s Republic of China and far eastern U.S.S.R., as well as in eastern Europe, including the Balcan countries...Seoul and Prospect Hill viruses (13,14). Very recently, the investigators et al. reported a close etiologic relation between HFRS in Korea, China ...HFRS patients in Korea and China , possessed high antibody titers to Hantaan and Seoul viruses with much lower reactivity to Puumala and Prospect Hill

  2. Genetic Diversity and Reassortment of Hantaan Virus Tripartite RNA Genomes in Nature, the Republic of Korea

    PubMed Central

    Kim, Jeong-Ah; Kim, Won-keun; No, Jin Sun; Lee, Seung-Ho; Lee, Sook-Young; Kim, Ji Hye; Kho, Jeong Hoon; Lee, Daesang; Song, Dong Hyun; Gu, Se Hun; Jeong, Seong Tae; Park, Man-Seong; Kim, Heung-Chul; Klein, Terry A.; Song, Jin-Won

    2016-01-01

    Background Hantaan virus (HTNV), a negative sense tripartite RNA virus of the Family Bunyaviridae, is the most prevalent hantavirus in the Republic of Korea (ROK). It is the causative agent of Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) in humans and maintained in the striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius, the primary zoonotic host. Clinical HFRS cases have been reported commonly in HFRS-endemic areas of Gyeonggi province. Recently, the death of a member of the ROK military from Gangwon province due to HFRS prompted an investigation of the epidemiology and distribution of hantaviruses in Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces that border the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea. Methodology and Principal Findings To elucidate the geographic distribution and molecular diversity of HTNV, whole genome sequences of HTNV Large (L), Medium (M), and Small (S) segments were acquired from lung tissues of A. agrarius captured from 2003–2014. Consistent with the clinical incidence of HFRS established by the Korea Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (KCDC), the prevalence of HTNV in naturally infected mice in Gangwon province was lower than for Gyeonggi province. Whole genomic sequences of 34 HTNV strains were identified and a phylogenetic analysis showed geographic diversity of the virus in the limited areas. Reassortment analysis first suggested an occurrence of genetic exchange of HTNV genomes in nature, ROK. Conclusion/Significance This study is the first report to demonstrate the molecular prevalence of HTNV in Gangwon province. Whole genome sequencing of HTNV showed well-supported geographic lineages and the molecular diversity in the northern region of ROK due to a natural reassortment of HTNV genomes. These observations contribute to a better understanding of the genetic diversity and molecular evolution of hantaviruses. Also, the full-length of HTNV tripartite genomes will provide a database for phylogeographic analysis of spatial and temporal

  3. Rodents and Risk in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam: Seroprevalence of Selected Zoonotic Viruses in Rodents and Humans

    PubMed Central

    Van Cuong, Nguyen; Carrique-Mas, Juan; Vo Be, Hien; An, Nguyen Ngoc; Tue, Ngo Tri; Anh, Nguyet Lam; Anh, Pham Hong; Phuc, Nguyen The; Baker, Stephen; Voutilainen, Liina; Jääskeläinen, Anne; Huhtamo, Eili; Utriainen, Mira; Sironen, Tarja; Vaheri, Antti; Henttonen, Heikki; Vapalahti, Olli; Chaval, Yannick

    2015-01-01

    Abstract In the Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam, rats are commonly traded in wet markets and sold live for food consumption. We investigated seroprevalence to selected groups of rodent-borne viruses among human populations with high levels of animal exposure and among co-located rodent populations. The indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) was used to determine seropositivity to representative reference strains of hantaviruses (Dobrava virus [DOBV], Seoul virus [SEOV]), cowpox virus, arenaviruses (lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus [LCMV]), flaviviruses (tick-borne encephalitis virus [TBEV]), and rodent parechoviruses (Ljungan virus), using sera from 245 humans living in Dong Thap Province and 275 rodents representing the five common rodent species sold in wet markets and present in peridomestic and farm settings. Combined seropositivity to DOBV and SEOV among the rodents and humans was 6.9% (19/275) and 3.7% (9/245), respectively; 1.1% (3/275) and 4.5% (11/245) to cowpox virus; 5.4% (15/275) and 47.3% (116/245) for TBEV; and exposure to Ljungan virus was 18.8% (46/245) in humans, but 0% in rodents. Very little seroreactivity was observed to LCMV in either rodents (1/275, 0.4%) or humans (2/245, 0.8%). Molecular screening of rodent liver tissues using consensus primers for flaviviruses did not yield any amplicons, whereas molecular screening of rodent lung tissues for hantavirus yielded one hantavirus sequence (SEOV). In summary, these results indicate low to moderate levels of endemic hantavirus circulation, possible circulation of a flavivirus in rodent reservoirs, and the first available data on human exposures to parechoviruses in Vietnam. Although the current evidence suggests only limited exposure of humans to known rodent-borne diseases, further research is warranted to assess public health implications of the rodent trade. PMID:25629782

  4. Acute Toxoplasma infection among family members of patients with acute lymphadenopathic toxoplasmosis.

    PubMed

    Luft, B J; Remington, J S

    1984-01-01

    Studies were performed to determine how frequently acute infections with Toxoplasma gondii occur among family members of patients with acute acquired lymphadenopathic toxoplasmosis. In five of the nine families studied, more than one family member had serologic evidence of recent acute infection with T gondii. In three of the families, the immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibody titers to T gondii among infected family members were similar irrespective of whether lymphadenopathy was present. Lymphadenopathy developed in one family member in each of two families (families VIII and IX) three and eight months after lymphadenopathy had developed in the index case (proband). These results suggest that common-source outbreaks occur with surprising frequency among family members of patients with lymphadenopathic toxoplasmosis and that the humoral response is similar with different manifestations of the infection.

  5. Tanespimycin and Cytarabine in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, or Myelodysplastic Syndromes

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2013-09-27

    Accelerated Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Adult Acute Basophilic Leukemia; Adult Acute Eosinophilic Leukemia; Adult Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia (M7); Adult Acute Minimally Differentiated Myeloid Leukemia (M0); Adult Acute Monoblastic Leukemia (M5a); Adult Acute Monocytic Leukemia (M5b); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia With Maturation (M2); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia Without Maturation (M1); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Adult Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (M4); Adult Erythroleukemia (M6a); Adult Pure Erythroid Leukemia (M6b); Blastic Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia; de Novo Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Previously Treated Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Recurrent Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Refractory Anemia With Excess Blasts in Transformation; Relapsing Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Secondary Myelodysplastic Syndromes

  6. Accurate diagnosis of acute abdomen in FMF and acute appendicitis patients: how can we use procalcitonin?

    PubMed

    Kisacik, Bunyamin; Kalyoncu, Umut; Erol, M Fatih; Karadag, Omer; Yildiz, Mustafa; Akdogan, Ali; Kaptanoglu, Bugra; Hayran, Mutlu; Ureten, Kemal; Ertenli, Ihsan; Kiraz, Sedat; Calguneri, Meral

    2007-12-01

    This study was conducted to define the value of procalcitonin (PCT) levels in the differential diagnosis of abdominal familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) attacks from acute appendicitis. From October 2006 to January 2007, 28 FMF (12 males, 16 females) patients with acute abdominal attacks and 34 patients (18 males) with acute abdomen who underwent operation with the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis were consecutively enrolled in this study. FMF patients with concurrent infectious diseases were excluded. PCT values were measured by an immunofluorescent method using the B.R.A.H.M.S. PCT kit (B.R.A.H.M.S. Diagnostica, Berlin, Germany). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive proteins (CRP) and leucocyte levels were also noted. Mean disease duration in FMF patients was 9.6 +/- 8.1 years (range 2-33 years) and all were on colchicine therapy with a mean colchicine dosage of 1.2 +/- 0.4 mg/day. Among the operated patients, 5 were excluded: 3 patients had normal findings and 2 had intestinal perforation (PCT levels were 2.69 and 4.93 ng/ml, respectively) at operative and pathologic evaluation. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to gender and age (p was not significant (NS) for all). Acute phase reactants and PCT levels were increased in patients with FMF compared to patients with acute appendicitis (0.529[0.12 +/- 0.96] vs 0.095 [0.01-0.80] p < 0.001, respectively). PCT levels higher than 0.5 ng/ml were found in 11% (3/28) of FMF patients compared to 62% (18/29) of acute appendicitis patients (p < 0.001). Our results suggest that PCT could be a useful test in the differentiation of abdominal FMF attacks from acute appendicitis, though it should not supplant more conventional investigations.

  7. Tipifarnib in Treating Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Remission

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2018-03-20

    Acute Myeloid Leukemia Arising From Previous Myelodysplastic Syndrome; Adult Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia; Adult Acute Monocytic Leukemia; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Remission; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13.1q22); CBFB-MYH11; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Maturation; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Minimal Differentiation; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13.1;q22); CBFB-MYH11; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21); (q22; q22.1); RUNX1-RUNX1T1; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(9;11)(p22.3;q23.3); MLLT3-KMT2A; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia Without Maturation; Adult Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia; Adult Erythroleukemia; Adult Pure Erythroid Leukemia; Alkylating Agent-Related Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Myelodysplastic Syndrome With Excess Blasts; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  8. Young Children's Acute Stress After a Burn Injury: Disentangling the Role of Injury Severity and Parental Acute Stress.

    PubMed

    Haag, Ann-Christin; Landolt, Markus A

    2017-09-01

    Although injury severity and parental stress are strong predictors of posttraumatic adjustment in young children after burns, little is known about the interplay of these variables. This study aimed at clarifying mediation processes between injury severity and mother's, father's, and young child's acute stress. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationships between injury severity and parental and child acute stress. Parents of 138 burn-injured children (ages 1-4 years) completed standardized questionnaires on average 19 days postinjury. Sixteen children (11.7%) met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, preschool criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (excluding time criterion). The model revealed a significant mediation of maternal acute stress, with the effect of injury severity on a child's acute stress mediated by maternal acute stress. Paternal acute stress failed to serve as a mediating variable. Our findings confirm mothers' crucial role in the posttraumatic adjustment of young children. Clinically, mothers' acute stress should be monitored. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  9. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) - children

    MedlinePlus

    Acute myeloid leukemia is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside ... develops quickly. Both adults and children can get acute myeloid leukemia ( AML ). This article is about AML in children.

  10. Severe hypertriglyceridemia-related acute pancreatitis.

    PubMed

    Stefanutti, Claudia; Labbadia, Giancarlo; Morozzi, Claudia

    2013-04-01

    Acute pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening complication of severe hypertriglyceridemia. In some cases, inborn errors of metabolism such as lipoprotein lipase deficiency, apoprotein C-II deficiency, and familial hypertriglyceridemia have been reported as causes of severe hypertriglyceridemia. More often, severe hypertriglyceridemia describes various clinical conditions characterized by high plasma levels of triglycerides (>1000 mg/dL), chylomicron remnants, or intermediate density lipoprotein like particles, and/or chylomicrons. International guidelines on the management of acute pancreatitis are currently available. Standard therapeutic measures are based on the use of lipid-lowering agents (fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, niacin, Ω-3 fatty acids), low molecular weight heparin, and insulin in diabetic patients. However, when standard medical therapies have failed, non-pharmacological approaches based upon the removal of triglycerides with therapeutic plasma exchange can also provide benefit to patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia and acute pancreatitis. Plasma exchange could be very helpful in reducing triglycerides levels during the acute phase of hyperlipidemic pancreatitis, and in the prevention of recurrence. The current evidence on management of acute pancreatitis and severe hypertriglyceridemia, focusing on symptoms, treatment and potential complications is reviewed herein. © 2013 The Authors. Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis © 2013 International Society for Apheresis.

  11. Searching for cellular partners of hantaviral nonstructural protein NSs: Y2H screening of mouse cDNA library and analysis of cellular interactome.

    PubMed

    Rönnberg, Tuomas; Jääskeläinen, Kirsi; Blot, Guillaume; Parviainen, Ville; Vaheri, Antti; Renkonen, Risto; Bouloy, Michele; Plyusnin, Alexander

    2012-01-01

    Hantaviruses (Bunyaviridae) are negative-strand RNA viruses with a tripartite genome. The small (S) segment encodes the nucleocapsid protein and, in some hantaviruses, also the nonstructural protein (NSs). The aim of this study was to find potential cellular partners for the hantaviral NSs protein. Toward this aim, yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening of mouse cDNA library was performed followed by a search for potential NSs protein counterparts via analyzing a cellular interactome. The resulting interaction network was shown to form logical, clustered structures. Furthermore, several potential binding partners for the NSs protein, for instance ACBD3, were identified and, to prove the principle, interaction between NSs and ACBD3 proteins was demonstrated biochemically.

  12. [Management of Acute Type A Dissection Complicated with Acute Mesenteric Ischemia].

    PubMed

    Abe, Tomonobu; Usui, Akihiko

    2017-07-01

    Acute mesenteric ischemia as malperfusion syndrome associated with acute aortic dissection is a difficult situation. The incidence is approximately 3~4% in acute type A dissection. Traditionally, most of these patients underwent immediate simple central aortic repair expecting that mesenteric artery obstruction and intestinal ischemia would be resolved by simple central aortic repair. However, short term mortality has been reported very high in this strategy. With the aid of rapidly progressing imaging techniques and newer endovascular repair techniques, results seem to be improving in recent years. Newer management strategy include aggressive and patient specific revascularization to the mesenteric arteries, delayed central aortic repair, and meticulous intensive care. Diagnosis and management of this condition require high level of expertise. Cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, gastroenterologists, general surgeons, anesthesiologists, intensivists must corporate to save these patients' lives. Since this is a relatively rare condition, scientific evidence is insufficient to make robust recommendations. Further studies are warranted.

  13. Diagnosis and Management of Acute Concussion.

    PubMed

    McCrea, Michael A; Nelson, Lindsay D; Guskiewicz, Kevin

    2017-05-01

    Over the past 2 decades, there have been major advances in the basic and clinical science of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury. These advances now provide a more evidence-informed approach to the definition, diagnosis, assessment, and management of acute concussion. Standardized clinical tools have been developed and validated for assessment of acute concussion across injury settings (eg, civilian, sport, military). Consensus guidelines now provide guidance regarding injury management and approaches to ensure safe return to activity after acute concussion. This article provides a brief, high-level overview of approaches to best practice in diagnosis, assessment, and management of acute concussion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. RNAi-mediated silencing of hepatic Alas1 effectively prevents and treats the induced acute attacks in acute intermittent porphyria mice.

    PubMed

    Yasuda, Makiko; Gan, Lin; Chen, Brenden; Kadirvel, Senkottuvelan; Yu, Chunli; Phillips, John D; New, Maria I; Liebow, Abigail; Fitzgerald, Kevin; Querbes, William; Desnick, Robert J

    2014-05-27

    The acute hepatic porphyrias are inherited disorders of heme biosynthesis characterized by life-threatening acute neurovisceral attacks. Factors that induce the expression of hepatic 5-aminolevulinic acid synthase 1 (ALAS1) result in the accumulation of the neurotoxic porphyrin precursors 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG), which recent studies indicate are primarily responsible for the acute attacks. Current treatment of these attacks involves i.v. administration of hemin, but a faster-acting, more effective, and safer therapy is needed. Here, we describe preclinical studies of liver-directed small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting Alas1 (Alas1-siRNAs) in a mouse model of acute intermittent porphyria, the most common acute hepatic porphyria. A single i.v. dose of Alas1-siRNA prevented the phenobarbital-induced biochemical acute attacks for approximately 2 wk. Injection of Alas1-siRNA during an induced acute attack significantly decreased plasma ALA and PBG levels within 8 h, more rapidly and effectively than a single hemin infusion. Alas1-siRNA was well tolerated and a therapeutic dose did not cause hepatic heme deficiency. These studies provide proof-of-concept for the clinical development of RNA interference therapy for the prevention and treatment of the acute attacks of the acute hepatic porphyrias.

  15. Return to the Primary Acute Care Service Among Patients With Multiple Myeloma on an Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit.

    PubMed

    Fu, Jack B; Lee, Jay; Shin, Ben C; Silver, Julie K; Smith, Dennis W; Shah, Jatin J; Bruera, Eduardo

    2017-06-01

    Pancytopenia, immunosuppression, and other factors may place patients with multiple myeloma at risk for medical complications. These patients often require inpatient rehabilitation. No previous studies have looked at risk factors for return to the primary acute care service of this patient population. To determine the percentage of and factors associated with return to the primary acute care service of multiple myeloma rehabilitation inpatients. Retrospective review. Acute inpatient rehabilitation unit within a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center. All patients with multiple myeloma admitted to the inpatient rehabilitation unit between March 1, 2004, and February 28, 2015. Return to the primary acute care service was analyzed with demographic information, multiple myeloma characteristics, medications, laboratory values, and hospital admission characteristics. One hundred forty-three inpatient rehabilitation admissions were found during the study period. After we removed multiple admissions of the same patients and planned transfers to the primary acute care service, 122 admissions were analyzed. Thirty-two (26%) patients transferred back to the primary acute care service for unplanned reasons. Multivariate analysis revealed male gender and thrombocytopenia as significantly associated with return to the primary acute care service. The median survival of patients who transferred back to the inpatient primary acute care service was 180 days versus 550 days for those who did not (P < .001). Because of their medical fragility, clinicians caring for rehabilitation inpatients with multiple myeloma should maintain close contact with the primary oncology service. Factors associated with an increased risk of transfer back to the primary acute care service include male gender and thrombocytopenia. IV. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Anticoagulant therapy and outcomes in patients with prior or acute heart failure and acute coronary syndromes: Insights from the APixaban for PRevention of Acute ISchemic Events 2 trial.

    PubMed

    Cornel, Jan H; Lopes, Renato D; James, Stefan; Stevens, Susanna R; Neely, Megan L; Liaw, Danny; Miller, Julie; Mohan, Puneet; Amerena, John; Raev, Dimitar; Huo, Yong; Urina-Triana, Miguel; Gallegos Cazorla, Alex; Vinereanu, Dragos; Fridrich, Viliam; Harrington, Robert A; Wallentin, Lars; Alexander, John H

    2015-04-01

    Clinical outcomes and the effects of oral anticoagulants among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and either a history of or acute heart failure (HF) are largely unknown. We aimed to assess the relationship between prior HF or acute HF complicating an index ACS event and subsequent clinical outcomes and the efficacy and safety of apixaban compared with placebo in these populations. High-risk patients were randomly assigned post-ACS to apixaban 5.0 mg or placebo twice daily. Median follow-up was 8 (4-12) months. The primary outcome was cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. The main safety outcome was thrombolysis in myocardial infarction major bleeding. Heart failure was reported in 2,995 patients (41%), either as prior HF (2,076 [28%]) or acute HF (2,028 [27%]). Patients with HF had a very high baseline risk and were more often managed medically. Heart failure was associated with a higher rate of the primary outcome (prior HF: adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.73, 95% CI 1.42-2.10, P < .0001, acute HF: adjusted HR 1.65, 95% CI 1.35-2.01, P < .0001) and cardiovascular death (prior HF: HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.82-3.54, acute HF: adjusted HR 2.52, 95% CI 1.82-3.50). Patients with acute HF also had significantly higher rates of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction major bleeding (prior HF: adjusted HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.65-2.27, P = .54, acute HF: adjusted HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.03-3.08, P = .04). There was no statistical evidence of a differential effect of apixaban on clinical events or bleeding in patients with or without prior HF; however, among patients with acute HF, there were numerically fewer events with apixaban than placebo (14.8 vs 19.3, HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.57-1.01, interaction P = .13), a trend that was not seen in patients with prior HF or no HF. In high-risk patients post-ACS, both prior and acute HFs are associated with an increased risk of subsequent clinical events. Apixaban did not significantly reduce clinical events and increased bleeding in

  17. Clinical diagnostic accuracy of acute colonic diverticulitis in patients admitted with acute abdominal pain, a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

    PubMed

    Jamal Talabani, A; Endreseth, B H; Lydersen, S; Edna, T-H

    2017-01-01

    The study investigated the capability of clinical findings, temperature, C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) count to discern patients with acute colonic diverticulitis from all other patients admitted with acute abdominal pain. The probability of acute diverticulitis was assessed by the examining doctor, using a scale from 0 (zero probability) to 10 (100 % probability). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the clinical diagnostic accuracy of acute colonic diverticulitis in patients admitted with acute abdominal pain. Of 833 patients admitted with acute abdominal pain, 95 had acute colonic diverticulitis. ROC curve analysis gave an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.95 (CI 0.92 to 0.97) for ages <65 years, AUC = 0.86 (CI 0.78 to 0.93) in older patients. Separate analysis showed an AUC = 0.83 (CI 0.80 to 0.86) of CRP alone. White blood cell count and temperature were almost useless to discriminate acute colonic diverticulitis from other types of acute abdominal pain, AUC = 0.59 (CI 0.53 to 0.65) for white blood cell count and AUC = 0.57 (0.50 to 0.63) for temperature, respectively. This prospective study demonstrates that standard clinical evaluation by non-specialist doctors based on history, physical examination, and initial blood tests on admission provides a high degree of diagnostic precision in patients with acute colonic diverticulitis.

  18. Acute pancreatitis: current perspectives on diagnosis and management

    PubMed Central

    Shah, Adarsh P; Mourad, Moustafa M; Bramhall, Simon R

    2018-01-01

    The last two decades have seen the emergence of significant evidence that has altered certain aspects of the management of acute pancreatitis. While most cases of acute pancreatitis are mild, the challenge remains in managing the severe cases and the complications associated with acute pancreatitis. Gallstones are still the most common cause with epidemiological trends indicating a rising incidence. The surgical management of acute gallstone pancreatitis has evolved. In this article, we revisit and review the methods in diagnosing acute pancreatitis. We present the evidence for the supportive management of the condition, and then discuss the management of acute gallstone pancreatitis. Based on the evidence, our local institutional pathways, and clinical experience, we have produced an outline to guide clinicians in the management of acute gallstone pancreatitis. PMID:29563826

  19. Treosulfan, Fludarabine Phosphate, and Total-Body Irradiation Before Donor Stem Cell Transplant in Treating Patients With High-Risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2017-04-05

    Accelerated Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Remission; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Remission; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Del(5q); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(15;17)(q22;q12); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Blastic Phase Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Remission; Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Remission; Childhood Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia; Childhood Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia; de Novo Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Previously Treated Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Recurrent Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Recurrent Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Recurrent Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Secondary Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Untreated Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia; Untreated Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

  20. Managing acute sinusitis.

    PubMed

    2009-03-01

    Each year, around 20 in every 1,000 people in the UK consult their GP about a suspected sinus infection,1 which means that each GP sees an average of about 50 such cases annually.2 Although most people recover from acute sinusitis with or without treatment within 10 days of seeing a GP,2 it is estimated that around 92% of those who consult their GP with a sinus infection are prescribed an antibacterial.1 Here we review the management of patients with acute sinusitis, and the place of antibacterial and other treatments.

  1. Decitabine and Bortezomib in Treating Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2014-11-06

    Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(15;17)(q22;q12); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  2. Tipifarnib in Treating Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2013-02-01

    Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Multilineage Dysplasia Following Myelodysplastic Syndrome; Adult Acute Erythroid Leukemia (M6); Adult Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia (M7); Adult Acute Minimally Differentiated Myeloid Leukemia (M0); Adult Acute Monoblastic Leukemia (M5a); Adult Acute Monoblastic Leukemia and Acute Monocytic Leukemia (M5); Adult Acute Monocytic Leukemia (M5b); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia With Maturation (M2); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia Without Maturation (M1); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Del(5q); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Adult Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (M4); Adult Erythroleukemia (M6a); Adult Pure Erythroid Leukemia (M6b); Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  3. Acute pancreatitis: recent advances through randomised trials.

    PubMed

    van Dijk, Sven M; Hallensleben, Nora D L; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; Fockens, Paul; van Goor, Harry; Bruno, Marco J; Besselink, Marc G

    2017-11-01

    Acute pancreatitis is one of the most common GI conditions requiring acute hospitalisation and has a rising incidence. In recent years, important insights on the management of acute pancreatitis have been obtained through numerous randomised controlled trials. Based on this evidence, the treatment of acute pancreatitis has gradually developed towards a tailored, multidisciplinary effort, with distinctive roles for gastroenterologists, radiologists and surgeons. This review summarises how to diagnose, classify and manage patients with acute pancreatitis, emphasising the evidence obtained through randomised controlled trials. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  4. Value of initial radiological investigations in patients admitted to hospital with appendicitis, acute gallbladder disease or acute pancreatitis.

    PubMed

    Bhangu, Aneel; Richardson, Charlotte; Winter, Hannah; Bleetman, Anthony

    2010-10-01

    To determine the value of abdominal radiography (AXR) for investigating patients attending hospital with a first episode of appendicitis (requiring appendicectomy), acute gallbladder disease or acute pancreatitis, and to identify if early (within 18 h) ultrasound or CT scanning reduces the use of AXR. Setting Two acute teaching hospitals during August-September 2008 and February-March 2009. Audit of 355 patients (179 patients (50%) who underwent appendicectomy, 128 (36%) admitted with acute gallbladder disease and 48 (14%) with acute pancreatitis). AXR was performed in 53 patients (30%) who underwent appendicectomy, 73 (57%) with acute gallstone disease and 38 (78%) with acute pancreatitis. The useful abnormality pick-up rate was low; 9% (n=5), 5% (n=4) and 0% (n=0), respectively. When used, ultrasound confirmed the diagnosis in 84% (140/166) and CT scanning (either after AXR or as first line) in 97% (34/35). 42 patients underwent early ultrasound (n=27) or CT scanning (n=15), which together reduced the rate of AXR usage by 34% (14/42 early vs 107/159 delayed, p<0.001). AXR does not aid diagnosis of these conditions but is still performed. Early ultrasound or CT scanning reduces the use of AXR and are more sensitive; methods of providing these should be explored.

  5. Acute on chronic gastrointestinal bleeding: a unique clinical entity.

    PubMed

    Rockey, Don C; Hafemeister, Adam C; Reisch, Joan S

    2017-06-01

    Gastrointestinal bleeding is defined in temporal-spatial terms-as acute or chronic, and/or by its location in the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we define a distinct type of bleeding, which we have coined 'acute on chronic' gastrointestinal bleeding. We prospectively identified all patients who underwent endoscopic evaluation for any form of gastrointestinal bleeding at a University Hospital. Acute on chronic bleeding was defined as the presence of new symptoms or signs of acute bleeding in the setting of chronic bleeding, documented as iron deficiency anemia. Bleeding lesions were categorized using previously established criteria. We identified a total of 776, 254, and 430 patients with acute, chronic, or acute on chronic bleeding, respectively. In patients with acute on chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, lesions were most commonly identified in esophagus (28%), colon and rectum (27%), and stomach (21%) (p<0.0001 vs locations for acute or chronic bleeding). In those specifically with acute on chronic upper gastrointestinal bleeding (n=260), bleeding was most commonly due to portal hypertensive lesions, identified in 47% of subjects compared with 29% of acute and 25% of chronic bleeders, (p<0.001). In all patients with acute on chronic bleeding, 30-day mortality was less than that after acute bleeding alone (2% (10/430) vs 7% (54/776), respectively, p<0.001). Acute on chronic gastrointestinal bleeding is common, and in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding was most often a result of portal hypertensive upper gastrointestinal tract pathology. Reduced mortality in patients with acute on chronic gastrointestinal bleeding compared with those with acute bleeding raises the possibility of an adaptive response. Copyright © 2017 American Federation for Medical Research.

  6. Decitabine in Treating Patients With Previously Untreated Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2016-05-18

    Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Del(5q); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(15;17)(q22;q12); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Secondary Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Untreated Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  7. Acute bacterial prostatitis and abscess formation.

    PubMed

    Lee, Dong Sup; Choe, Hyun-Sop; Kim, Hee Youn; Kim, Sun Wook; Bae, Sang Rak; Yoon, Byung Il; Lee, Seung-Ju

    2016-07-07

    The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for abscess formation in acute bacterial prostatitis, and to compare treatment outcomes between abscess group and non-abscess group. This is a multicenter, retrospective cohort study. All patients suspected of having an acute prostatic infection underwent computed tomography or transrectal ultrasonography to discriminate acute prostatic abscesses from acute prostatitis without abscess formation. A total of 31 prostate abscesses were reviewed among 142 patients with acute prostatitis. Univariate analysis revealed that symptom duration, diabetes mellitus and voiding disturbance were predisposing factors for abscess formation in acute prostatitis. However, diabetes mellitus was not related to prostate abscess in multivariate analysis. Patients with abscesses <20 mm in size did not undergo surgery and were cured without any complications. In contrast, patients with abscesses >20 mm who underwent transurethral resection had a shorter duration of antibiotic treatment than did those who did not have surgery. Regardless of surgical treatment, both the length of hospital stay and antibiotic treatment were longer in patients with prostatic abscesses than they were in those without abscesses. However, the incidence of septic shock was not different between the two groups. A wide spectrum of microorganisms was responsible for prostate abscesses. In contrast, Escherichia coli was the predominant organism responsible for acute prostatitis without abscess. Imaging studies should be considered when patients with acute prostatitis have delayed treatment and signs of voiding disturbance. Early diagnosis is beneficial because prostatic abscesses require prolonged treatment protocols, or even require surgical drainage. Surgical drainage procedures such as transurethral resection of the prostate were not necessary in all patients with prostate abscesses. However, surgical intervention may have potential merits that reduce the

  8. Analysis of peroxidase-negative acute unclassifiable leukemias by monoclonal antibodies. 1. Acute myelogenous leukemia and acute myelomonocytic leukemia.

    PubMed

    Imamura, N; Tanaka, R; Kajihara, H; Kuramoto, A

    1988-11-01

    In this study, pretreatment peripheral and/or bone marrow blasts from 12 patients with acute unclassifiable leukemia (AUL) expressing the myeloid-related cell-surface antigen (CD 11) were isolated for further analysis. Despite a lack of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, 1 patient's blasts contained cytoplasmic Auer rods. The circulating blasts from another patient expressed MPO while maintaining the same surface phenotype during 20 months of clinical follow-up. In addition, the blasts from 3 cases demonstrated both myelomonocytic and monocyte-specific surface antigens, whereas the remaining 9 cases completely lacked any monocyte-specific antigen detectable by monoclonal antibodies, Mo2, My4 and Leu M3 (CD 14). The first case eventually was diagnosed as acute myelomonocytic leukemia and the second as acute myelogenous leukemia by means of immunophenotypic analysis using flow cytometry (FACS IV). In addition, the presence of MPO protein was identified in the cytoplasm of blast cells from 5 patients with AUL by means of a cytoplasmic immunofluorescence test using a monoclonal antibody (MA1). Our study indicates that non-T, non-B AUL expressing OKM1 (CD 11) antigens include acute leukemias which are unequivocally identifiable as being of either myeloid or myelomonocytic origin. However, further investigations, including immunophenotypic and cytoplasmic analysis, ultrastructural cytochemistry and gene analysis with molecular probes (tests applicable to normal myeloid cells), are necessary in order to determine the actual origin of blasts and to recognize the differentiation stages of the various types of leukemic cells from patients with undifferentiated forms of leukemia.

  9. Noninvasive ventilation for patients with acute lung injury or acute respiratory distress syndrome.

    PubMed

    Nava, Stefano; Schreiber, Ania; Domenighetti, Guido

    2011-10-01

    Few studies have been performed on noninvasive ventilation (NIV) to treat hypoxic acute respiratory failure in patients with acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The outcomes of these patients, for whom endotracheal intubation is not mandatory, depend on the degree of hypoxia, the presence of comorbidities and complications, and their illness severity. The use of NIV as an alternative to invasive ventilation in severely hypoxemic patients with ARDS (ie, P(aO(2))/F(IO(2)) < 200) is not generally advisable and should be limited to hemodynamically stable patients who can be closely monitored in an intensive care unit by highly skilled staff. Early NIV application may be extremely helpful in immunocompromised patients with pulmonary infiltrates, in whom intubation dramatically increases the risk of infection, pneumonia, and death. The use of NIV in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome and other airborne diseases has generated debate, despite encouraging clinical results, mainly because of safety issues. Overall, the high rate of NIV failure suggests a cautious approach to NIV use in patients with ALI/ARDS, including early initiation, intensive monitoring, and prompt intubation if signs of NIV failure emerge.

  10. Bacteriotherapy of acute radiation sickness

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mal'tsev, V.N.; Korshunov, V.M.; Strel'nikov, V.A.

    1979-04-01

    Acute sickness is associated with intestinal dysbacteriosis; there is a radical decrease in number of microorganisms of lactic fermentation (bifidobacterium, lactobacillus) and an increase in E. coli proteus, enterococcus, and clostridium. Extensive use is made of live microorganisms in the treatment of various diseases associated with intestinal dysbacteriosis; in the case of acute radiation sickness, yeast, colibacterin, and E. coli have been used. In a number of cases, such therapy increased survival and life expectancy of irradiated animals. In this study, microorganisms of lactic fermentation (lactobacillus, bifidobacterium) and colibacterin were used for treatment of acute radiation sickness.

  11. [Experimental study of acute brain swelling under acute intracranial hypertension (author's transl)].

    PubMed

    Shigemori, M; Watanabe, M; Kuramoto, S

    1976-12-01

    There are many problems about the cause, pathophysiology and treatment of acute brain swelling under intracranial hypertension frequently encountered in the neurosurgical clinics. Generally, rapid increase of the cerebral vasoparesis caused by unknown etiology is thought to be the main cause of acute brain swelling under intracranial hypertension. Moreover, disturbance of the cerebral venous circulatory system is discussed recently by many authors. But, research from the point of systemic respiration and hemodynamics is necessary for resolving these problems. This experiment was designed to study the effects of respiration and hemodynamics on the cerebral vasoparesis. Using 22 adult dogs, acute intracranial hypertension was produced by epidural balloon inflation sustained at the level of 300 - 400 mmH2O. Simultaneously with measurement of intracranial pressure at the epidural space, superior sagittal sinus pressure, respirogram, systemic blood pressure (femoral artery), central venous pressure, common carotid blood flow, EKG and bipolar lead EEG were monitored continuously. The experimental group was divided by the respiratory loading into 5 groups as follows: control (6 cases), 10% CO2 hypercapnia (4 cases), 10% O2 hypoxia (4 cases), stenosis of airway (5 cases), 100% O2-controled respiration (3 cases). 1) Cerebral vasoparesis under acute intracranial hypertension took place earlier and showed more rapid progression in groups of stenosis of airway, hypercapnia and hypoxia than control group of spontaneous respiration in room air. No occurrence of cerebral vasoparesis was found out in a group of 100% O2 controlled respiration. It is proved that increased airway resistance or asphyxia, hypercapnia and hypoxia have strictly reference to the occurrence and progression of cerebral vasoparesis and for the prevention of cerebral vasoparesis, correct 100% O2 cont rolled respiration is effective. 2) From the hemodynamic change, the progression of rapid increase of cerebral

  12. Imipenem/cilastatin-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

    PubMed

    Foong, Kap Sum; Lee, Ashley; Pekez, Marijeta; Bin, Wei

    2016-03-04

    Drugs, toxins, and infections are known to cause acute eosinophilic pneumonia. Daptomycin and minocycline are the commonly reported antibiotics associated with acute eosinophilic pneumonia. In this study, we present a case of imipenem/cilastatin-induced acute eosinophilic pneumonia. The patient presented with fever, acute hypoxic respiratory distress, and diffuse ground-glass opacities on the chest CT a day after the initiation of imipenem/cilastatin. Patient also developed peripheral eosinophilia. A reinstitution of imipenem/cilastatin resulted in recurrence of the signs and symptoms. A bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage showed 780 nucleated cells/mm(3) with 15% eosinophil. The patient's clinical condition improved significantly after the discontinuation of imipenem/cilastatin therapy and the treatment with corticosteroid. 2016 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

  13. Predictors of mental health-related acute service utilisation and treatment costs in the 12 months following an acute psychiatric admission.

    PubMed

    Siskind, Dan; Harris, Meredith; Diminic, Sandra; Carstensen, Georgia; Robinson, Gail; Whiteford, Harvey

    2014-11-01

    A key step in informing mental health resource allocation is to identify the predictors of service utilisation and costs. This project aims to identify the predictors of mental health-related acute service utilisation and treatment costs in the year following an acute public psychiatric hospital admission. A dataset containing administrative and routinely measured outcome data for 1 year before and after an acute psychiatric admission for 1757 public mental health patients was analysed. Multivariate regression models were developed to identify patient- and treatment-related predictors of four measures of service utilisation or cost: (a) duration of index admission; and, in the year after discharge from the index admission (b) acute psychiatric inpatient bed-days; (c) emergency department (ED) presentations; and (d) total acute mental health service costs. Split-sample cross-validation was used. A diagnosis of psychosis, problems with living conditions and prior acute psychiatric inpatient bed-days predicted a longer duration of index admission, while prior ED presentations and self-harm predicted a shorter duration. A greater number of acute psychiatric inpatient bed-days in the year post-discharge were predicted by psychosis diagnosis, problems with living conditions and prior acute psychiatric inpatient admissions. The number of future ED presentations was predicted by past ED presentations. For total acute care costs, diagnosis of psychosis was the strongest predictor. Illness acuity and prior acute psychiatric inpatient admission also predicted higher costs, while self-harm predicted lower costs. The development of effective models for predicting acute mental health treatment costs using existing administrative data is an essential step towards a workable activity-based funding model for mental health. Future studies would benefit from the inclusion of a wider range of variables, including ethnicity, clinical complexity, cognition, mental health legal status

  14. Study on the treatment of acute thallium poisoning.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Hong-Tao; Qiao, Bao-Ping; Liu, Bao-Ping; Zhao, Xian-Guo

    2014-05-01

    Acute thallium poisoning rarely occurs but is a serious and even fatal medical condition. Currently, patients with acute thallium poisoning are usually treated with Prussian blue and blood purification therapy. However, there are few studies about these treatments for acute thallium poisoning. Nine patients with acute thallium poisoning from 1 family were treated successfully with Prussian blue and different types of blood purification therapies and analyzed. Prussian blue combined with sequential hemodialysis, hemoperfusion and/or continuous veno-venous hemofiltration were effective for the treatment of patients with acute thallium poisoning, even after delayed diagnosis. Blood purification therapies help in the clearance of thallium in those with acute thallium poisoning. Prussian blue treatment may do the benefit during this process.

  15. Elevated troponin I levels in acute liver failure: is myocardial injury an integral part of acute liver failure?

    PubMed

    Parekh, Nimisha K; Hynan, Linda S; De Lemos, James; Lee, William M

    2007-06-01

    Although rare instances of cardiac injury or arrhythmias have been reported in acute liver failure (ALF), overall, the heart is considered to be spared in this condition. Troponin I, a sensitive and specific marker of myocardial injury, may be elevated in patients with sepsis and acute stroke without underlying acute coronary syndrome, indicating unrecognized cardiac injury in these settings. We sought to determine whether subclinical cardiac injury might also occur in acute liver failure. Serum troponin I levels were measured in 187 patients enrolled in the US Acute Liver Failure Study Group registry, and correlated with clinical variables and outcomes. Diagnoses were representative of the larger group of >1000 patients thus far enrolled and included 80 with acetaminophen-related injury, 26 with viral hepatitis, 19 with ischemic injury, and 62 others. Overall, 74% of patients had elevated troponin I levels (>0.1 ng/ml). Patients with elevated troponin I levels were more likely to have advanced hepatic coma (grades III or IV) or to die (for troponin I levels >0.1 ng/ml, odds ratio 3.88 and 4.69 for advanced coma or death, respectively). In acute liver failure, subclinical myocardial injury appears to occur more commonly than has been recognized, and its pathogenesis in the context of acute liver failure is unclear. Elevated troponin levels are associated with a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. Measurement of troponin I levels may be helpful in patients with acute liver failure, to detect unrecognized myocardial damage and as a marker of unfavorable outcome.

  16. Eltrombopag Olamine in Treating Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

    ClinicalTrials.gov

    2016-04-04

    Adult Acute Basophilic Leukemia; Adult Acute Eosinophilic Leukemia; Adult Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia (M7); Adult Acute Minimally Differentiated Myeloid Leukemia (M0); Adult Acute Monoblastic Leukemia (M5a); Adult Acute Monocytic Leukemia (M5b); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia With Maturation (M2); Adult Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia Without Maturation (M1); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Del(5q); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Adult Acute Myelomonocytic Leukemia (M4); Adult Erythroleukemia (M6a); Adult Pure Erythroid Leukemia (M6b); Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia

  17. [Ascites and acute kidney injury].

    PubMed

    Piano, Salvatore; Tonon, Marta; Angeli, Paolo

    2016-07-01

    Ascites is the most common complication of cirrhosis. Ascites develops as a consequence of an abnormal splanchnic vasodilation with reduction of effecting circulating volume and activation of endogenous vasoconstrictors system causing salt and water retention. Patients with ascites have a high risk to develop further complications of cirrhosis such as hyponatremia, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and acute kidney injury resulting in a poor survival. In recent years, new studies helped a better understanding of the pathophysiology of ascites and acute kidney injury in cirrhosis. Furthermore, new diagnostic criteria have been proposed for acute kidney injury and hepatorenal syndrome and a new algorithm for their management has been recommended with the aim of an early diagnosis and treatment. Herein we will review the current knowledge on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of ascites and acute kidney injury in patients with cirrhosis and we will identify the unmet needs that should be clarified in the next years.

  18. [Acute asthma in children--anaphylaxis].

    PubMed

    Carlsen, K H

    1993-05-30

    Acute asthma is a manifestation of chronic inflammation of airways, and may be due to inadequate control. Assessment of acute asthma is based upon respiratory rate and pattern, thoracic respiratory recessions, auscultatory rales and rhonchi, skin colour (cyanosis/pallor) and heart rate. Acute asthma in children is best treated with inhaled nebulised drugs, especially beta 2-agonists and adrenaline. Acute severe asthma should be treated with systemic steroids (by injection or orally), and it is important that this treatment is not started too late. Symptomatic treatment with intravenous theophyllamine may also be relevant. Anaphylactic shock occurs most often after injection of drugs or after bites by a wasp or a bee. Food allergy may be the cause in some patients. Speed is necessary in the treatment of anaphylactic shock, and intramuscular injection of adrenaline is the treatment of choice. Systemic steroids or antihistaminics may be used to stabilize the state of the patient.

  19. Acute left main coronary artery occlusion

    PubMed Central

    Burgazli, K. Mehmet; Bilgin, Mehmet; Soydan, Nedim; Chasan, Ridvan; Erdogan, Ali

    2013-01-01

    The treatment of an acute left main coronary artery occlusion still poses a challenge. In this case report we present a 50-year-old patient with an acute occlusion of the left main artery. After a successful angioplasty without “stenting” due to the complexity of the stenosis the patient underwent a successful bypass surgery. We discuss the therapeutic options of acute left main occlusion regarding medical, interventional and surgical options. PMID:24353543

  20. Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP): relationship to Hamman-Rich syndrome, diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

    PubMed

    Mukhopadhyay, Sanjay; Parambil, Joseph G

    2012-10-01

    Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP) is a term used for an idiopathic form of acute lung injury characterized clinically by acute respiratory failure with bilateral lung infiltrates and histologically by diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), a combination of findings previously known as the Hamman-Rich syndrome. This review aims to clarify the diagnostic criteria of AIP, its relationship with DAD and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), key etiologies that need to be excluded before making the diagnosis, and the salient clinical features. Cases that meet clinical and pathologic criteria for AIP overlap substantially with those that fulfill clinical criteria for ARDS. The main differences between AIP and ARDS are that AIP requires a histologic diagnosis of DAD and exclusion of known etiologies. AIP should also be distinguished from "acute exacerbation of IPF," a condition in which acute lung injury (usually DAD) supervenes on underlying usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP)/idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.