Could hantavirus circulation superpose areas of highly endemic vaccinia virus outbreaks? A retrospective seroepidemiological study in State of Minas Gerais

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Giliane de Souza Trindade, André Tavares da Silva Fernandes, Galileu Barbosa Costa, Poliana de Oliveira Figueiredo, Jônatas Santos Abrahão, Erna Geessien Kroon, Luiz Tadeu Moraes Figueiredo, Flávio Guimarães da Fonseca
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2014
• Subjects: Hantavirus; Rural population; Bovine vaccinia; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0033-2014; https://doaj.org/article/29e0be3e99134576a3710cff18be30b2

Introduction Hantavirus infections have been described in several regions in Brazil through seroepidemiological studies. Usually, populations are associated with rural and wild environment mainly due to close contact to species of Sigmodontinae rodents, considered hantavirus reservoirs. Methods A retrospective serosurvey was conducted to access the hantavirus seroprevalence in people living in regions affected by bovine vaccinia outbreaks. Results Sera from 53 patients were analyzed and none of them presented anti-hantavirus IgG antibodies. Conclusions This study presents an opportunity to analyze seronegativity despite close and recurrent contact with known hantavirus reservoirs. Aspects of hantavirus and bovine vaccinia emergence are also discussed.