Surveillance of anti-hantavirus antibodies among certain high-risk groups in Taiwan.
J Formos Med Assoc
; 97(1): 69-72, 1998 Jan.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-9481070
ABSTRACT
Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is a serious health concern in neighboring countries of Taiwan, such as mainland China and Korea. In Taiwan, only two suspected cases were recorded before 1994. The first confirmed case was reported in 1995, but this proved to be imported. To study hantavirus infection in Taiwan, we tested blood collected from garbage collectors, animal handlers, patients with febrile illness of unknown origin, and field rats, the host of hantavirus, for the presence of antibody against hantavirus using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody technique. The positive rates were 1.55% (3/193), 3.45% (1/29), 1.42% (3/211), and 5.56% (9/162), respectively. The subtypes of hantavirus involved were either Hantaan-like or Seoul-like. These results showed that hantavirus may have already invaded Taiwan without our knowledge and physicians should be aware of this.
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Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Hantavirus Infections
Type of study:
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Animals
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Infant
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
En
Journal:
J Formos Med Assoc
Journal subject:
MEDICINA
Year:
1998
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Taiwán