Results of Hantavirus infection and prevalence surveillance

Abstract

Background: Hantavirus (Hantavirus) is a zoonotic infectious disease that is transmitted through rodents and is prevalent in many countries around the world. This infection is classified based on species into Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). The first serotype of Hantavirus is widely distributed in Europe and Asia. In our country, there is a high incidence of respiratory and renal diseases among the population, and viral infections have been detected in rodent carriers of Hantavirus. The high occurrence of HFRS cases in Asian countries, especially in neighboring countries, indicates the need for surveillance and research on this viral disease. Aim: To detect and confirm Hantavirus in samples collected from humans, rodents, and ticks through natural focus surveillance. Materials and Methods: A total of 2,393 samples were collected from humans, rodents, and ticks from 37 soums in 10 provinces. For the analysis of human serum samples, the Hantavirus IgG was detected using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) (Germany, Euroimmun), and IgG related to Hantavirus types Seoul and Puumala was determined using Western Blot (Germany, Euroimmun). The RNA from 1,866 samples of rodents and ticks collected from natural foci was extracted (Quagen, Germany) and tested for the Hantavirus M segment using RT-PCR. Results: Analysis of the samples collected from humans, rodents, and ticks confirmed the presence of Hantavirus causing Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS). Hantavirus-specific IgG antibodies were found in 1.5% (8 out of 527) of human serum samples, 0.47% (5 out of 1054) of rodent samples, and 4.4% (36 out of 810) of tick samples tested positive for Hantavirus M gene nucleotide pairs using RT-PCR. Conclusion: The detection of Hantavirus in 1.5% of human serum samples, 0.47% of rodent samples, and 4.4% in ticks belonging to the D. nuttalli species indicates a potential risk for Hantavirus-related diseases, particularly Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome, in Mongolia.