Prevalence of Infection with Hantavirus in wild Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus populations of Buenos Aires City, Argentina

CUETO G. R; CAVIA R..; BELLOMO C. M.;; PADULA P.J.; SUÁREZ O

Tropical medicine & International health

Blackwell Publishing

Año: 2008 vol. 13 p. 46 - 51

To determine the prevalence of infection with hantavirus in wild Rattus norvegicus and R. rattus`populations in different areas of Buenos Aires city. Norway and black rats were trapped from 2003 to 2005 at ten sites throughout Buenos Aires city. Blood samples were collected by cardiac punture of all individuals captured for serological analysis. An enzyme-linked imnunosorbent assay (Elisa) was performed for detection of SEOV and AND specific IgG antibodies. Hantavirus seroprevalence was of 11.9% for R. norvegicus varying between 0 and 26,1% depending on the sampled site. Bigger sexually active males were more likely to be infected with Seoul virus than females or juvenile individuals. No antibody-reactive rodents were detected among 33 R. norvegicus analyzed. The results obtained indicates that hantavirus infections are geographically widespread in Buenos Aires City and confirms that hantavirus infections have been enzootic in this city for at last twenty years.