Prevalence of antibody to hantaviruses in humans and rodents in the Caribbean region of Colombia determined using Araraquara and Maciel virus antigens

• Published in: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Vol. 108; no. 2
• Main Authors: Guzmán, Camilo, Mattar, Salim, Levis, Silvana, Pini, Noemí, Figueiredo, Tadeu, Mills, James, Salazar-Bravo, Jorge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz 13-01-2014
• Subjects: Colombia; epidemiological surveillance; hantavirus; immunoassay; public health; Rodentia
• ISSN: 1678-8060

We tested sera from 286 agricultural workers and 322 rodents in the
department of Córdoba, northeastern Colombia, for antibodies
against two hantaviruses. The sera were analysed by indirect ELISA
using the lysate of Vero E6 cells infected with Maciel virus (MACV) or
the N protein of Araraquara virus (ARAV) as antigens for the detection
of antibodies against hantaviruses. Twenty-four human sera were IgG
positive using one or both antigens. We detected anti-MACV IgG
antibodies in 10 sera (3.5%) and anti-ARAV antibodies in 21 sera
(7.34%). Of the 10 samples that were positive for MACV, seven (70%)
were cross-reactive with ARAV; seven of the 21 ARAV-positive samples
were cross-reactive with MACV. Using an ARAV IgM ELISA, two of the 24
human sera (8.4%) were positive. We captured 322 rodents, including 210
Cricetidae (181 Zygodontomys brevicauda , 28 Oligoryzomys fulvescens
and 1 Oecomys trinitatis ), six Heteromys anomalus (Heteromyidae),
one Proechimys sp. (Echimyidae) and 105 Muridae (34 Rattus rattus
and 71 Mus musculus ). All rodent sera were negative for both
antigens. The 8.4% detection rate of hantavirus antibodies in humans is
much higher than previously found in serosurveys in North America,
suggesting that rural agricultural workers in northeastern Colombia are
frequently exposed to hantaviruses. Our results also indicate that
tests conducted with South American hantavirus antigens could have
predictive value and could represent a useful alternative for the
diagnosis of hantavirus infection in Colombia.