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Seroprevalence study in forestry workers of a non-endemic region in eastern Germany reveals infections by Tula and Dobrava–Belgrade hantaviruses

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Abstract

Highly endemic and outbreak regions for human hantavirus infections are located in the southern, southeastern, and western parts of Germany. The dominant hantavirus is the bank vole transmitted Puumala virus (PUUV). In the eastern part of Germany, previous investigations revealed Tula virus (TULV) and Dobrava–Belgrade virus (DOBV) infections in the respective rodent reservoirs. Here, we describe a seroprevalence study in forestry workers from Brandenburg, eastern Germany, using IgG ELISA and immunoblot tests based on recombinant TULV, DOBV, and PUUV antigens. Out of the 563 sera tested, 499 from male and 64 from female workers, we found 41 out of the 499 (8.2%) sera from men (mean age 47 years) and 10 out of 64 (15.6%) from the women (mean age 48 years) anti-hantavirus-positive. The majority of the 51 seropositive samples reacted exclusively in the TULV (n = 22) and DOBV tests (n = 17). Focus reduction neutralization assay investigations on selected sera confirmed the presence of TULV- and DOBV-specific antibodies in the forestry workers. These investigations demonstrated a potential health threat for forestry workers and also the average population in non-endemic geographical regions where TULV and DOBV are circulating in the corresponding reservoir hosts. The infections in this region might be frequently overlooked due to their unspecific and mild symptoms.

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Acknowledgments

The work was supported by Research-Project M/SAB1/5/A017 for the Bundeswehr Medical Service. We would like to thank Carsten Leßner, Jürgen Rubach, Roberto Drexler, Jürgen Rinno, Ramona Huth, Viola Kunze, Albert Ulonska, Bernd Friedrich, Pierre Gulz, Rosemarie Augsten, Elvira Pohle, Monika Prechel, Siegfred Zernick, Ausra Razanskiene, and all forestry workers for support and Bernd Köllner and Anke Wiethölter for helpful discussions. The excellent technical assistance of Brigitte Pohl, Beate Becker-Ziaja, and Anna Hegele is kindly acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, OIE Collaborating Centre for Zoonoses in Europe, Institute for Novel and Emerging Infectious Diseases, Südufer 10, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany

    Marc Mertens, Martin H. Groschup & Rainer G. Ulrich

  2. Institute of Virology, Helmut-Ruska-Haus, University Hospital Charité, 10098, Berlin, Germany

    Jörg Hofmann & Detlev H. Krüger

  3. Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, LT-02241, Vilnius, Lithuania

    Rasa Petraityte-Burneikiene & Kestutis Sasnauskas

  4. Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Biomathematics Working Group, 17493, Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany

    Mario Ziller

  5. DSP Process Development, Glycotope GmbH, 13125, Berlin, Germany

    Robert Friedrich

  6. Helios Kliniken, 15526, Bad Saarow, Germany

    Olaf Niederstrasser

  7. Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, 35041, Marburg, Germany

    Eckhardt Petri

  8. Institut für Arbeits- und Sozialhygiene Stiftung, 16866, Kyritz, Germany

    Sandra Werdermann

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  1. Marc Mertens
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  2. Jörg Hofmann
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  8. Detlev H. Krüger
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  12. Rainer G. Ulrich
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Correspondence to Rainer G. Ulrich.

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Mertens, M., Hofmann, J., Petraityte-Burneikiene, R. et al. Seroprevalence study in forestry workers of a non-endemic region in eastern Germany reveals infections by Tula and Dobrava–Belgrade hantaviruses. Med Microbiol Immunol 200, 263–268 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00430-011-0203-4

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