TY - JOUR
T1 - Epidemiology of nephropathia epidemica in Sweden
AU - Niklasson, B.
AU - LeDuc, J. W.
N1 - Funding Information:
Received for publication 24 March 1986, and in revised form 28 July 1986. The views of the authors do not purport to reflect the positions of the Department of the Army or of the Department of Defense. This work was supported by grant FOA-4 from the Swedish National Defense Research Institute, Umea; by the Medical Board of the Swedish Armed Forces, Karolinen, Karlstad; and by grant DAMD 17-84-C-4040 from the V. S. Army Medical Research and Development Command. We thank the persons who provided sera for this study; Lars Nyman, T. Kjelsson, L. R. Bagley, G. Smith, and the Epidemiology Department of the National Bacteriological Laboratory for technical assistance; and Professor Lennart Hansson (V ppsala, Sweden) for constructive criticism of the manuscript. Please address requests for reprints to Dr. James W. LeDuc, Department of Epidemiology, U. S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, Frederick, Maryland 21701-5011.
PY - 1987
Y1 - 1987
N2 - A comprehensive study of nephropathia epidemica (NE), caused by Puumala virus, was conducted in Sweden. Human sera from residents of various regions of Sweden were examined for antibody to Puumala virus, and the incidence of NE was determined. Small mammals were captured at locations throughout Sweden and were examined for antibody to Puumala virus and for antigen. The human serosurvey found the highest prevalence rates and the highest incidence rates in northern Sweden. The bank vole was found to be the most-abundant rodent, as well as the species most frequently positive for antibody. Antibody-positive voles were restricted to the northern two-thirds of the country, an area corresponding to that where most human disease was noted. These results suggest that the back vole is the principal host of Puumala virus in Sweden and clearly establish the region near 64°N as highly endemic for NE in humans.
AB - A comprehensive study of nephropathia epidemica (NE), caused by Puumala virus, was conducted in Sweden. Human sera from residents of various regions of Sweden were examined for antibody to Puumala virus, and the incidence of NE was determined. Small mammals were captured at locations throughout Sweden and were examined for antibody to Puumala virus and for antigen. The human serosurvey found the highest prevalence rates and the highest incidence rates in northern Sweden. The bank vole was found to be the most-abundant rodent, as well as the species most frequently positive for antibody. Antibody-positive voles were restricted to the northern two-thirds of the country, an area corresponding to that where most human disease was noted. These results suggest that the back vole is the principal host of Puumala virus in Sweden and clearly establish the region near 64°N as highly endemic for NE in humans.
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U2 - 10.1093/infdis/155.2.269
DO - 10.1093/infdis/155.2.269
M3 - Article
C2 - 2879874
AN - SCOPUS:0023095902
SN - 0022-1899
VL - 155
SP - 269
EP - 276
JO - Journal of Infectious Diseases
JF - Journal of Infectious Diseases
IS - 2
ER -