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Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection in a province of Spain: Analysis of sera from the general population and wild rodents
Author(s) -
Lledó Lourdes,
Gegúndez María Isabel,
Saz José Vicente,
Bahamontes Noemí,
Beltrán María
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of medical virology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1096-9071
pISSN - 0146-6615
DOI - 10.1002/jmv.10389
Subject(s) - lymphocytic choriomeningitis , arenavirus , biology , virology , virus , rodent , population , antibody , junin virus , immunology , medicine , antigen , ecology , environmental health , cd8
Abstract Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a rodent‐borne virus belonging to the family Arenaviridae , genus Arenavirus , which causes a wide spectrum of human disease. However, data on LCMV infection in Spain is scant. To investigate whether this virus causes infection in Spain, 400 serum samples from the general population (191 males, 209 females) and 100 from wild rodents were studied by immunofluorescence assay (IFA) using L‐929 cells infected with LCMV. The study was performed in the “Community of Madrid,” a region with both rural and urban areas in different ecological settings. Of the 400 human serum samples tested, antibodies against LCMV were detected in 7 (1.7%). No statistical differences in prevalence were found with respect to either age or rural or urban residence, but differences were seen with respect to sex. Nine (9%) of the rodent serum samples were positive. These results confirm the occurrence of LCMV infections in Man and rodents in Spain. J. Med. Virol. 70: 273–275, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.