A Case-Control Study after a Hantavirus Infection Outbreak in the South of Belgium: Who Is at Risk?
Puumala is the most common hantavirus serotype in Europe and is spread mainly by the red bank vole. Between 1 July 1992 and 31 January 1994, an outbreak of Puumala virus-induced nephropathia epidemica (NE) occurred in the Belgian Ardennes. Serologically confirmed cases ( n = 41) were compared with two groups of asymptomatic seronegative controls. Risks identified included sighting of living rodents, exposure to rodent droppings, and trapping rodents during the 4 weeks preceding onset of symptoms. Activities during this 4-week period that presented the greatest risk were woodcutting, reopening... Mehr ...
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Dokumenttyp: | TEXT |
Erscheinungsdatum: | 1999 |
Verlag/Hrsg.: |
Oxford University Press
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Schlagwörter: | Clinical Articles |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Permalink: | https://search.fid-benelux.de/Record/base-27005321 |
Datenquelle: | BASE; Originalkatalog |
Powered By: | BASE |
Link(s) : | http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/28/4/834 |
Puumala is the most common hantavirus serotype in Europe and is spread mainly by the red bank vole. Between 1 July 1992 and 31 January 1994, an outbreak of Puumala virus-induced nephropathia epidemica (NE) occurred in the Belgian Ardennes. Serologically confirmed cases ( n = 41) were compared with two groups of asymptomatic seronegative controls. Risks identified included sighting of living rodents, exposure to rodent droppings, and trapping rodents during the 4 weeks preceding onset of symptoms. Activities during this 4-week period that presented the greatest risk were woodcutting, reopening of a nonaerated room, and strenuous physical effort. This is the first case-control study on risk factors for NE in Europe. In comparison with the American form of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is spread by deer mice, professional activity appears to be a more important risk factor for acquisition of hantavirus in Europe.