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Seroepidemiological study reveals regional co‐occurrence of L assa‐ and H antavirus antibodies in U pper G uinea, W est A frica
Author(s) -
Klempa Boris,
Koulemou Kekoura,
Auste Brita,
Emmerich Petra,
ThoméBolduan Corinna,
Günther Stephan,
Koivogui Lamine,
Krüger Detlev H.,
FichetCalvet Elisabeth
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
tropical medicine and international health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1365-3156
pISSN - 1360-2276
DOI - 10.1111/tmi.12045
Subject(s) - hantavirus , seroprevalence , virology , serology , bunyaviridae , antigen , population , indirect immunofluorescence , public health , biology , antibody , immunofluorescence , immunology , medicine , virus , environmental health , nursing
Abstract Objectives To assess the public health relevance of L assa arenavirus and hantavirus infections in a subpopulation of recently febrile patients. Methods In a human seroprevalence study, we enrolled 253 participants on the basis of reported high fever during the last 3 months. They represented roughly 20% of the population of B antou and T anganya villages. Comprehensive serological screening and confirmatory assays (enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence assay, W estern blot analysis) with several L assa virus and hantavirus antigens were used to ensure high specificity and broad detection capacity. Results We found a L assa I gG prevalence of 40.3% (102/253) and a hantavirus I gG prevalence of 1.2% (3/253). The L assa I gM prevalence reached 2.8% (7/253). Conclusions High L assa virus seroprevalence in recently febrile patients indicates that L assa fever is a significant public health problem in the region. Human hantavirus infections also occur in the region but their public health relevance remains to be determined.