Objective: To study the molecular epidemiological characteristics and genotypes of hantavirus carried by rodents in Shenzhen. Methods: Rodents were captured, and their lung samples were collected and grinded for RNA extraction. The hantavirus positive samples were classified by real-time fluorescence PCR. Rat lung nucleic acid samples were selected to amplify the nucleotide sequences of partial M fragments (G2 segment) and S fragments by reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR). The PCR products were then sequenced and homology and phylogenetic tree analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 200 rodents were captured, including 189 Rattus norvegicus, 9 Rattus flavipectus and 2 Mus musculus. The positive rate of hantavirus was 21.0% (42/200), all of the isolates were seoul virus (SEOV) strains. The positive rate of hantavirus in Bao'an district was highest (45.7%), and the difference in detection rate among districts were significant (χ²=25.60,P<0.05). A total of 25 G2 segment sequences and S fragment sequences of SEOV were obtained by virus gene sequencing, and their nucleotide homology was 95.3%-100.0% and 97.6%-100.0%, respectively. Compared with other reference sequences of S2 subtype, the nucleotide homology between the sample sequence and the reference sequence from Guangzhou was high. Analysis on nucleotide homology and phylogenetic tree showed that hantavirus carried by the rodents captured in Shenzhen belonged to SEOV S2 subtype. Analysis on amino acid variation sites revealed that there was a variation in the nucleocapsid protein encoded by S gene from Alanine to Threonine at the 973 position of BA-111. Conclusion: Hantavirus carried by rodents in Shenzhen belongs to S2 subtype of Seoul virus, which have little variation compared with the hantavirus strains obtained in other years in Shenzhen and surrounding provinces.
Mice ; Rats ; Animals ; Orthohantavirus/genetics* ; Rodentia ; Phylogeny ; Hantavirus Infections/veterinary* ; Communicable Diseases ; Nucleotides ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVETo investigate the impact of impoundment and active public health interventions on rodent populations and rodent-borne diseases in the Three Gorges reservoir region from 1997 to 2012.

METHODSSurveillance data from 1997 to 2012 were extracted from the Public Health Surveillance System of The Three Gorges established in 1997. Temporal changes in the incidences of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and leptospirosis, rodent density, pathogen-carrying rates, and their correlations were analyzed.

RESULTSThe average indoor and outdoor rodent densities decreased overall from 1997 to 2012. The average densities decreased by 47.72% (from 4.38% to 2.29%) and 39.68% (from 4.41% to 2.66%), respectively, after impoundment (2003-2012) compared with before impoundment (1997-2002). The average annual incidence rates of HFRS and leptospirosis were 0.29/100,000 and 0.52/100,000, respectively, and decreased by 85.74% (from 0.68/100,000 to 0.10/100,000) and 95.73% (from 1.47/100,000 to 0.065/100,000), respectively, after impoundment compared with before impoundment. Incidences of HFRS and leptospirosis appear to be positively correlated with rodent density in the reservoir area.

CONCLUSIONThis study demonstrated that rodent density and incidences of rodent-borne diseases decreased and were maintained at low levels during construction of the Three Gorges dam. Measures that reduce rodent population densities could be effective in controlling rodent-borne diseases during large-scale hydraulic engineering construction.

Animal Distribution ; Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Reservoirs ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; Leptospirosis ; epidemiology ; virology ; Population Density ; Rodent Diseases ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; virology ; Rodentia ; Seasons ; Time Factors ; Water Supply ; Zoonoses

OBJECTIVETo investigate the diversity and the distribution of host animal species of hantavirus and the effect on human health in Jiuhua Mountain area, China.

METHODSThe host animal species of hantavirus was surveyed by using the trap method and the species diversity was evaluated by using the Simpson, Shannon-Weaner, and Pielou indices. Hantavirus antigens or antibodies in lung and blood samples of all the captured host animals were detected by direct or indirect immunofluorescence.

RESULTSNine animal species of hantavirus were distributed in the forest ecosystem of Jiuhua Mountain. Of these, Niviventer confucianus and Apodemus agrarius were predominant, and N. confucianus, Rattus norvegicus, and Mus musculus had relatively large niche breadth index values. The host animals in the eastern and western mountain regions shared similar biodiversity index characteristics, predominant species, and species structures. Hantavirus was detected in 5 host animal species in Jiuhua Mountain area, the carriage rate of hantavirus was 6.03%. The average density of host animals in forest areas of the mountainous area was only 2.20%, and the virus infection rate in the healthy population was 2.33%.

CONCLUSIONThe circulation of hantavirus was low in the forest areas of Jiuhua Mountain and did not pose a threat to human health.

Adult ; Altitude ; Animals ; Antibodies, Viral ; blood ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Vectors ; Hantavirus ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; blood ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; blood ; Lung ; virology ; Middle Aged ; Population Density ; Risk ; Rodentia ; virology ; Species Specificity ; Young Adult

To gain more insights into epidemiologic characteristics and genotype of hantavirus in Apodemus agrarius in Changbai Area. Complete hantavirus S segment sequences were amplified by RT-PCR and sequenced. The phylogenetic trees were constructed for analysis of genetic characters of hantavirus. A total of 58 Apodemus agrarius were trapped in the epidemic areas, and complete hantavirus S segment sequences were obtained from 4 lung samples of these rodents (6. 90%0). Phylogenetic analysis of the four S segment sequences indicated that all viruses isolated from Apodemu sagrarius were closely related to genotype 6 of Hantaan virus (95. 8%-96. 3%, nucleotide identity; 98. 6%-99. 5%, amino acid identity), all of them had a specific S387 different from other genotypes of Hantaan virus.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA, Complementary ; chemistry ; genetics ; Disease Reservoirs ; virology ; Genotype ; Hantavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; virology ; Lung ; virology ; Murinae ; virology ; Phylogeny ; RNA, Viral ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Rodent Diseases ; virology ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

In order to study the molecular characterization of the hantavirus isolated from Apodemus peninsulae in Heilongjiang Province, the S gene of a new strain NA33 was amplified, sequenced and analyzed. The results showed that the complete nucleotide sequence of the S gene of NA33 strain was composed of 1 693 nucleotides with TA-rich. The S gene contained one ORF, starting at position 37 and ending at position 1 326, encoding the N protein of 429 amino acid residues, and in line with HTN-based coding. Sequence comparison of the S genes between NA33 and reference hantavirus strains showed that NA33 was more homologous to Amur-like viruses than to the Hantaan (HTN) viruses or the other hantaviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence of N proteins showed that NA33 was clustered into the group of Amur-like viruses and was more similar to Far East Russia and Jilin strains isolated from Apodemus peninsulae. The phylogenetic tree indicated a certain degree of host-dependent characteristics and geographical aggregation characteristics of hantanviruses. Furthermore, the amino acid sequence of N protein of NA33 had the conserved amino acid sites of Amur-like viruses. In conclusion, Apodemus peninsulae carried Amur-like viruses in Heilongjiang province and was an important infectious source of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).
Animals ; China ; Hantavirus ; chemistry ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; veterinary ; virology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Murinae ; virology ; Phylogeny ; Rodent Diseases ; virology ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Viral Envelope Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an acute viral disease with fever, hemorrhage and renal failure caused by hantavirus infection. Hantavirus induces HFRS or hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). HPS progression to a life-threatening pulmonary disease is found primarily in the USA and very rarely in South Korea. Here, we report a case of HFRS and coexisting HPS.
Fever ; Hantavirus ; Hantavirus Infections ; Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome ; Hemorrhage ; Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome ; Lung Diseases ; Renal Insufficiency ; Republic of Korea ; Virus Diseases

In order to analyze the molecular epidemiology of Hantavirus (HV) in Zhejiang Province, the complete M and S genome sequences of 12 HV strains from different hosts and locations in Zhejiang Province of China during the period of 1981-2007 were analyzed on genetic evolution by DNAstar and MEGA 4.0 software in this research. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that HTN and SEO strains were co-circulating in Zhejiang Province, and the difference in sequence similarity and the phylogeny was closely related to the isolated regions, but had no distinct relationship with the isolate year and the host, indicating a relationship between epidemiology of HFRS and the distribution region, especially in HTNV. The isolates in the same region could be assigned in same or near phylogenetic clade sharing high sequence similarity. Interestingly, the Gou3 strain and ZJ5 strain isolated from Jiande region in Zhejiang Province formed a distinct phylogenetic lineage in SEOV clade, and different from the other SEOV variants outside China. We believed that the special SEOV variants were distributed in Jiande region.
Animals ; China ; Disease Reservoirs ; virology ; Evolution, Molecular ; Hantavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; virology ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Rodentia ; virology ; Viral Proteins ; genetics

Animals ; China ; Hantavirus Infections ; veterinary ; Rodent Diseases ; virology

OBJECTIVEIn order to investigate Hantavirus (HV) infection of captured rodents and to understand the genotypes and the molecular characteristic of Hantaviruses in Shenzhen.

METHODSThe captured rodents were classified and the density of distribution was calculated. A total of 472 animals were captured, among which Rattus norvegicus was the dominant group. The total viral RNA was extracted from the lung tissues positive with HV antigens by immunofluorescent assay and gene sequence of M fragment was amplified with RT-nested-PCR by using the Hantavirus genotype specific primers. The amplified genes were then sequenced, and subjected to genotyping and homology analysis.

RESULTSThe results of genotype analysis showed that the Hantaviruses taken from twenty-one lung specimens in Rattus norvegicus in Shenzhen city belonged to the Hantavirus type II (SEOV). Results in homology analysis suggested that the homology among twenty-one samples should be rather high with 95.4% of nucleotide sequence identity and they belonged to the same subtype. Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that they were branched into at least six different lineages, and were highly homologized with SZ2083. We also found that these virus strains had not shown more highly homology of nucleotide sequence in nearest district, whereas revealed consistency in farther district.

CONCLUSIONThe major hosts of Hantaviruses in Shenzhen city were Rattus norvegicus and the epidemic strains were genotyped as SEO-type. Nucleotide sequence and deduced amino acid sequence from different rodents were highly homologous, while nucleotide mutation had also been observed. Further studies are required to explore the possible viruses' sequence mutation.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; DNA Primers ; DNA, Viral ; Genotype ; Hantavirus ; classification ; genetics ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; veterinary ; virology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Viral ; Rats ; Rodent Diseases ; epidemiology ; virology ; Sequence Homology

OBJECTIVETo explore the hantavirus infection and their genotype in rodents in Hunan.

METHODSHantavirus antigens in the rat lungs from Hunan province were detected by immunofluorescence assay. Partial S and M segment in antigen-positive samples were amplified by RT-PCR, and then sequenced. The phyologenetic trees were constructed for the analysis of genetic characters of hantavirus.

RESULTSA total of 344 rats were trapped in the main epidemic area of Hunan province, and hantavirus antigens were found in 6 of the 344 rats( 1.74% ).The phylogenetic trees constructed by partial S segment( nt 620-990) or partial G2 segment (nt 2001- 2301) showed that the hantaviruses carried by Rattus norvegicus, R . flabipectus and R. rattoides from Xiangxiang district were genetic subtype SEOV4. The virus carried by R. norvegicus in Ningyuan district was phylogenetically different from the known SEOV. The hantavirus carried by Mus musculus from Shimen district was genetic subtype HTNV4.

CONCLUSIONThe hantaviruses in the main epidemic areas in Hunan province mainly belonged to SEOV, and R. flabipectus and R. rattoides carried the same genotype of SEOV as R. norvegicus.

Animals ; China ; epidemiology ; Disease Reservoirs ; virology ; Hantavirus ; classification ; genetics ; isolation & purification ; Hantavirus Infections ; epidemiology ; virology ; Mice ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Rats ; Rodentia ; virology