Hantavirus haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome case who did not have any history of contact with a rodent

Abstract

Hantaviruses, a genus of the Bunyavirus family, are enveloped viruses with a genome that consists of RNA segments. The genus has several subtypes causing infection in different regions. Rodents such as rats are the natural reservoir for hantaviruses. People can become infected with these viruses after exposure to aerosolized urine, droppings, saliva of infected rodents or food contamineted with these infectious materials. Infected rodent bites of a person is another tranmission way. Individuals who work with live rodentslike farmers, long, shoremen, foresters have high risk of infection. Here, we report a 33 year-oldmale farmer who lived in a willage of Kastamonu and did not have any history of direct contact with a rodent. The infection of ourpatient was characterized by mild deteriation in kidney function tests. Indifferential diagnosis, it is thought that Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and leptospirosis may also be the causes of thrombocytopenia, elevations in liver enzymes, abnormal kidney function test results of the case. Hantavirus renal syndrom diagnosis was confirmed by hantavirus IgM and IgG positivity with ELISA and abnormal laboratory tests improved after symptomatic treatment. Consequently, hantavirus infections should be thought twhen symtoms and laboratory tests are compatible with infection for patients in living endemic areas even if no history of rodent contact and spesific tests for final diagnosis must be performed.