Search

From 2000 to 2011 85 600 cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) were registered in Russian Federation. Epidemically active foci of HFRS infection are located generally in temperate latitudes of the European part and the Far East. In the Far East regions whose fraction of all the HFRS disease cases in Russia is around 2%, the causative agents of the infection are Hantaan, Amur, Seoul hantaviruses, the natural reservoir for those are striped field mouse, Korean field mouse and brown rat. In the European part of Russia the causative agent of the infection are Puumala hantavirus as well as 2 genetic subtypes of Dobrava virus, the main reservoirs of those in the nature are bank vole, striped field mouse and Black Sea field mouse, respectively. 9 strain of Puumala and 10 strains of Dobrava virus were isolated. Based on sequencing of Dobrava virus strains significant differences were detected between Dobrava virus strains isolated from Black Sea field mouse from Sochi and striped field mouse from Lipetsk Region. Cultural inactivated vaccine against HFRS was developed and completed preclinical trials.

Specific features of hantavirus infection in bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) were studied in the endemic area of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in the foothills of the Ural mountains, using long-term observations on living animals by the capture-mark-recapture (CMR) method. The results demonstrated that the infection naturally circulating in the voles is chronic (lasting for up to 15 months) and asymptomatic, with a peak of Puumala virus accumulation and release from the organism during the first month after infection. It was shown that the bank vole population includes young animals with maternal immunity, which remain resistant to the Puumala virus infection for 3-3.5 months. The infection rate in voles depended on the age and sexual maturity of animals. The greatest proportion of seropositive animals was observed among overwintered males. Seroconversion in voles was more frequent during the period of high reproductive activity.

Four strains of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome virus (HFRSV) from rodents or patients in European U.S.S.R. foci of HFRS were isolated in laboratory bred C. glareolus. The sensitivity of these animals to HFRSV was compared with that of five other laboratory and wild animals.

The use of indirect fluorescent antibody testing (IFAT) and enzyme linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) procedures allowed the hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) virus antigen to be detected not only in the known reservoir host, Clethrionomys glareolus, but also in 7 other species of small mammals in European foci of the U.S.S.R. Marked viscerotropism of HFRS virus and the participation of brown fat in maintaining the infection in rodents were demonstrated. The frequency of detection of circulating antigen and antibody to HFRS virus in rodents is indicative of the high level of activity of the virus in its epizootic foci.