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THE COMPLEX ECOLOGY OF HANTAVIRUS IN PARAGUAY

Following an outbreak of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the Paraguayan Chaco in 1995, Calomys laucha was identified as the rodent host for the hantavirus associated with these cases. To explore the possibility of additional hantaviruses in Paraguay, we collected 636 mammals from 10 of the 17 departments. Plasma from 27 animals in Alto Paraguay and Boquerón in the Chaco and Ñeembucú and Itapúa in the eastern region had antibody to Andes virus antigens. Of these 27, five individuals (among four species) were positive for hantavirus RNA. Sera were collected from indigenous people in eastern Paraguay to ascertain whether persons were being infected with hantavirus outside of the Chaco. Seventeen percent were antibody-positive. These results suggest that several different hantaviruses are co-circulating in Paraguay, and that HPS cases occurring in eastern Paraguay may result from exposure to hantaviruses that are distinct from those in the Chaco.

Received March 24, 2003. Accepted for publication June 16, 2003.

Acknowledgments: We thank Dr. Emiko Iwasaki (Japanese International Cooperation Agency for human sera samples. Field work in rodent collection was assisted by numerous people and agencies in Paraguay, most importantly the Office of the Scientific Authority, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES-Paraguay), directed by A. L. Aquino.

Financial support: This work was supported by grants to Colleen B. Jonsson from New Mexico State University (RC-97021) and the Chiron Corporation, and by National Science Foundation grants DEB-9400926, DEB-9741543, and DEB-9741134 to Robert D. Owen and Michael R. Willig. This research was supported in part by an appointment of Colleen B. Jonsson to the Research Participation program at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an interagency agreement between the U. S. Department of Energy and USAMRIID.

Authors’ addresses: Yong-Kyu Chu, Drug Discovery Division Southern Research Institute 2000 9th Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35205; Telephone: 205-581-2693; Fax: 205-581-2877. Robert D. Owen, Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-3131, Telephone: 806-742-3232, Fax: 806-742-2963, E-mail: robert.owen{at}ttu.edu. Liza M. Gonzalez, United States Army Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Virology Division, 1425 Porter Street, Fort Detrick, Frederick, MD 21702. Colleen B. Jonsson, Drug Discovery Division, Southern Research Institute, 2000 9th Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35205, Telephone: 205-581-2681; Fax: 205-581-2877, E-mail: jonsson{at}sri.org

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