Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T18:40:37.407Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evidence of hantavirus in wild rodents in Northern Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

C. McCaughey ,
W. I. Montgomery ,
N. Twomey ,
M. Addley ,
H. J. O'Neill  and
P. V. Coyle
C. McCaughey
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Hospitals Trust, Grosvenor Road. Belfast BT12 6BN, UK
W. I. Montgomery
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, Medical Biology Centre, The Queen's University of Belfast. Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
N. Twomey
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, Medical Biology Centre, The Queen's University of Belfast. Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
M. Addley
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, Medical Biology Centre, The Queen's University of Belfast. Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
H. J. O'Neill
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Hospitals Trust, Grosvenor Road. Belfast BT12 6BN, UK
P. V. Coyle
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Hospitals Trust, Grosvenor Road. Belfast BT12 6BN, UK
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A survey of evidence of rodent hantavirus infection in County Down, Northern Ireland was carried out by using immunofluorescence to detect virus antigen and antibody. Antibodies to hantavirus (R22 strain of Seoul virus and Hantaan 76–118) were found in 11/51 (21·6%) brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), 1/31 (3·2%) field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) and 17/59 (28·8%) house mice (Mus domesticus). Seven rodents had evidence of hantavirus antigen in lung tissues. Antibody positive animals were significantly more likely to be adults than juveniles (P = 0·04) but and there was no sex difference between antibody positive and negative animals. House mice were more likely to be antibody positive if captured inside farm outbuildings (P = 0·08). Attempts to culture virus from the rodent material were unsuccessful. This work demonstrates a substantial rodent reservoir for hantavirus in Northern Ireland.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 117 , Issue 2 , October 1996 , pp. 361 - 366
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

References

1.Xiao, SY, Leduc, JW,Chu, YK, Schmaljohn, CS. Phylogenetic analyses of virus isolates in the genus hantavirus, family Bunyaviridae. Virology 1994; 198: 205–17.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2.Lloyd, G. Hantavirus. In: Morgan-Capner, P, ed. Current topics in clinical virology. London: Public Health Laboratory Service, 1991: 181–204.Google Scholar
3.McKenna, P, Clement, J, Matthys, P, Coyle, PV, McCaughey, C. Serological evidence of hantavirus disease in Northern Ireland. J Med Virol 1994; 43: 33–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Davies, EA, Rooney, PJ, Coyle, PV, Simpson, DIH, Montgomery, WI, Stanford, CF. Hantavirus and leptospira. Lancet 1988; 88: 460–1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Stanford, CF, Connolly, JH, Ellis, WA et al. Zoonotic infections in Northern Ireland farmers. Epidemiol Infect 1990; 105: 565–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.McKenna, P, Clement, J, McCaughey, C, Coyle, PV. Wild rats: a vector of hantavirus disease in Northern Ireland? Am J Trop Med Hyg 1993; 49: 183–4.Google Scholar
7.Lee, PW, Gibbs, CJ JrGajdusek, DC, Yanagihara, R. Serotypic classification of hantaviruses by indirect immunofluorescent antibody and plaque reduction neutralization tests. J Clin Microbiol 1985; 22: 940–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Song, G, Hang, C-S, Liao, H-X et al. Isolation of EHF-related agent from Rattus norvegicus captured in patient's home in endemic area of the mild type of hemorrhagic fever. Acta Microbiol Sin 1982; 22: 373–7.Google Scholar
9.Pether, JV, Lloyd, G. The clinical spectrum of human hantavirus infection in Somerset, UK. Epidemiol Infect 1993; 111: 171–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Glass, GE, Childs, JE, Korch, GW, LeDuc, JW. Association of intraspecific wounding with hantaviral infection in wild rats (Rattus norvegicus). EpidemioI Infect 1988; 101: 459–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Zhang, Y. Study on natural infection of epidemic. haemorrhagic fever virus in Leptotrombidium scutellare. [Chinese.] Chung-Hua Yu Fang i Hsuech Tsa Chih [Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine] 1990; 24: 261–4.Google Scholar
12.Elliott, LH, Ksiazek, TG, Rollin, PE et al. Isolation of the causative agent of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1994; 51: 102–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed