Inquéritos sorológicos para hantavírus no estado de Alagoas

Abstract

Hantaviruses are rodent-borne enveloped RNA-viruses belonging to Bunyaviridae family that have worldwide distribution and are shelter in Sigmodontinae subfamily in America. Hantavirus have been identified as etiologic agents of infection human, which can range from mild disease to severe disease, such as Hantavirus Cardiopulmonary Syndrome (HPCS). Human infection is acquired by inhanalation of aerosols containing excreta of rodents infected by hantavirus. However, there are few records in the Northeast. So far, in the Alagoas State, to date there is no reports of hantavirus infections, although with conditions favorable to circulation of hantavirus, for example: substitution of Atlantic Florets for sugar agro cane industry, in East Mesoregion; corn culture, in Agreste; and the dry climate in the Sertão Mesoregion. The aim this study it was to collect evidence of the occurrence of human hantavirus infections in different mesoregions Alagoas State. Sera of volunteers healthy were collected and used to detect IgG antibodies against a recombinant N protein of Araraquara hantavirus (rN ARAV), by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA), as well as epidemiological data were obtained by questionnaires. The samples were considerated positive when titers were equal or greater of 200. In this study was included 928 individuals, mean age 35 years (sd=16.62), with median of 32 years. From the East Mesoregion, 704 volunteers participated, of which 54 had anti-rN ARAV (prevalence of 7.67%). In Agreste, 155 volunteers participated, of these, three had these antibodies. In the Sertão Mesoregion, 69 participants were included, of which 2 were serum-reactive. The global prevalence was 6.36% (59/928), wich titers ranged from 200 to 3,200. Of soropositive volunteers, 72.35% of them attested that had never lived and 11.86% said that developed disease with respiratory failure. The human antigenic contact with hantavirus induces long term IgG antibodies, even that when the HPCS development were not occurred during the acute infection. The results of this study indicated the occurrence of local infections by hantavirus in Alagoas State, including in individuals without respiratory disease history in the past. Thus, taken together, these findings suggest the circulation of hantavirus in Alagoas State and the occurrence of silent infections, both inapparent or symptomatic infections but without diagnosis. This is the first study to demonstrate serological evidence of past human infections by hantavirus in individuals from three mesoregions of Alagoas State. Our findings provide new insights into the epidemiology of hantaviruses in the Northeast Region from Brazil.