ABSTRACT
Abstract INTRODUCTION: The Amazon tropical rainforest has the most dense and diverse ecosystem worldwide. A few studies have addressed rodent-borne diseases as potential hazards to humans in this region. METHODS: A retrospective survey was conducted using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting mammarenavirus and orthohantavirus antibodies in 206 samples collected from rural settlers of the Brazilian Western Amazonian region. RESULTS: Six (2.91%) individuals in the age group of 16 to 36 years were found to possess antibodies against mammarenavirus. CONCLUSION: Evidence of previous exposure to mammarenavirus in the rural population points to its silent circulation in this region.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Male , Female , Infant , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Young Adult , Arenaviridae/immunology , Rodentia/virology , Disease Reservoirs/veterinary , Orthohepadnavirus/immunology , Arenaviridae Infections/epidemiology , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/epidemiology , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Arenaviridae/classification , Rodentia/classification , Rural Population , Socioeconomic Factors , Brazil/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Orthohepadnavirus/classification , Arenaviridae Infections/diagnosis , Arenaviridae Infections/transmission , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/diagnosis , Hepatitis, Viral, Human/transmission , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Abstract This review focuses on reports of hepatitis E virus, hantavirus, rotavirus, coronavirus, and arenavirus in synanthropic rodents (Rattus rattus, Rattus norvegicus, and Mus musculus) within urban environments. Despite their potential impact on human health, relatively few studies have addressed the monitoring of these viruses in rodents. Comprehensive control and preventive activities should include actions such as the elimination or reduction of rat and mouse populations, sanitary education, reduction of shelters for the animals, and restriction of the access of rodents to residences, water, and food supplies.
Subject(s)
Animals , Rats/virology , Rotavirus Infections/transmission , Disease Reservoirs/virology , Hepatitis E/transmission , Coronavirus Infections/transmission , Arenaviridae Infections/transmission , Hantavirus Infections/transmission , Mice/virology , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
Anthropogenic environmental changes arising from settlement and agriculture include deforestation and replacement of natural vegetation by crops providing opportunities for pathogen spillover from animals to humans. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of rodent-borne virus infections in seven rural settlements from Midwestern Brazil. Of the 466 individuals tested 12 (2.57%) were reactive for orthohantavirus and 3 (0.64%) for mammarenavirus. These rural settlers lived under unfavorable infrastructure, socioeconomic disadvantages, and unsanitary conditions, representing a risk for rodent-borne infections. Development of public policies towards the improvement of health, sanitation and awareness of rodent-borne diseases in improvised camps and settlements is imperative, in order to reduce morbidity and mortality caused by these diseases.
Subject(s)
Humans , Animals , Male , Female , Child, Preschool , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Young Adult , Rodentia/virology , Arenaviridae Infections/epidemiology , Hantavirus Infections/epidemiology , Disease Vectors/classification , Rodentia/classification , Rural Population , Socioeconomic Factors , Brazil/epidemiology , Immunoglobulin G/blood , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Prevalence , Cross-Sectional Studies , Arenaviridae Infections/diagnosis , Arenaviridae Infections/transmission , Hantavirus Infections/diagnosis , Hantavirus Infections/transmission , Middle Aged , Antibodies, Viral/bloodABSTRACT
La Fiebre Hemorrágica Venezolana es una enfermedad severa causada por el virus Guanarito que aparece en forma endemo-epidémica en Venezuela a partir de 1989. Los Arenavirus utilizan como reservorio a los roedores para persistir en la naturaleza, siendo específicos para la especie que les sirve como hospedador. La infección del humano ocurre por contacto con secreciones de estos animales. Para conocer el reservorio natural del virus Guanarito, se capturaron 256 ejemplares de roedores en 5 áreas representativas de los tipos de hábitat del Municipio Guanarito del Edo. Portuguesa. Los animales fueron clasificados en 9 especies y se recolectaron muestras de sangre y bazo para realizar estudios virológicos. El macerado de cada bazo fue inoculado en células VERO E6 para aislamiento viral y en la sangre se determinaron anticuerpos específicos para el virus Guanarito por la técnica de IFI. Los resultados indicaron una alta densidad de roedores en la Hoyada y la Arenosa donde las especies dominantes en orden e importancia fueron: Zygodontomys brevicauda, Sigmodon alstoni, Rattus rattus, Proechymys guairae y Oryzomys fulvecens. Todas estas especies se encontraron susceptibles a la infección por el virus Guanarito; el mayor porcentaje de roedores infetados se encontró en la especie Sigmodon alstoni (52,6 por ciento) y Zygodontomys brevicauda (26,3//). De especial interés fue el hallazgo que 9 de 13 animales de esta última especie, excretaba virus en presencia de anticuerpos humorales. Estos resultados indican que el virus Guanarito está ampliamente distribuido entre los roedores dominantes en esta zona del país, pero la especie Sigmodon alstoni es reservorio potencial del virus, las otras especies son reservorios que contribuyen a mantener el virus en la naturaleza y también constituyen una fuente de infección para el humano