Long-term retrospective observation reveals stabilities and variations of hantavirus infection in Hebei, China

Shiyou Liu,Qi Li,Xu Han,Zhanying Han,Yonggang Xu,Yanan Cai,Shunxiang Qi,Yanbo Zhang,Yamei Wei

doi:10.1186/s12879-019-4402-8

Shiyou Liu, Qi Li + Show 7 more

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https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-019-4402-8

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Abstract

BackgroundHemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease caused by hantaviruses which circulate worldwide. So far, it was still considered as one of serious public health problems in China. The present study aimed to reveal the stabilities and variations of hantavirus infection in Hebei province located in North China through a long-term retrospective observation.MethodsThe epidemiological data of HFRS cases from all 11 cities of Hebei province since 1981 through 2016 were collected and descriptively analyzed. The rodent densities, species compositions and virus-carrying rates of different regions were collected from six separated rodent surveillance points which set up since 2007. The molecular diversity and phylogenetic relationship of hantaviruses circulating among rodents were analyzed based on partial viral glycoprotein gene.ResultsHFRS cases have been reported every year in Hebei province, since the first local case was identified in 1981. The epidemic history can be artificially divided into three phases and a total of 55,507 HFRS cases with 374 deaths were reported during 1981–2016. The gender and occupational factors of susceptible population were invarible throughout, however age of that was gradually aging. The annual outbreak peak always present in spring, while the main epidemic region had gradully altered from south to northeast. Surveillance of rodents revealed that residential rodents significantly possessed higher density and virus-carring rate than field rodents. The house rat, Rattus norvegicus, was the dominant rodent species and Seoul virus S3 sub-genotype which is continued but slightly evolving perhaps to be the sole pathogen for local HFRS cases of Hebei province.ConclusionsThis long-term province-wide surveillance and epidemiological analysis has revealed the stabilities and variations of hantavirus infection in North China. In order to improve current prevention and control strategies of HFRS in China, all surveillance should be continuously enhanced and variations should be paid more attentions.

Highlights

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease caused by hantaviruses which circulate worldwide posing the ongoing public health threat in most countries of Europe and Asia [1,2,3]
The history of hantavirus infections in human beings in Hebei province can be generally divided into three phases, 1981–1990 (Phase I), 1991–2010 (Phase II) and 2011–2016 (Phase III), within the 36-year period (Fig. 2a)
55,507 HFRS cases with 374 deaths were reported in Hebei province and they almost involved all the area of the province

Summary

Introduction

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease caused by hantaviruses which circulate worldwide. It was still considered as one of serious public health problems in China. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is an emerging zoonotic infectious disease caused by hantaviruses which circulate worldwide posing the ongoing public health threat in most countries of Europe and Asia [1,2,3]. More than 50 hantavirus species divided into three phylogenetic clusters have been identifed from rodents, shrews, moles and bats, but only rodent-borne hantaviruses have been found to cause pathogenicity in humans [1, 6]. It should be concerned that anthropogenic changes in host reservoir ecology and biodiversity have enhanced the risk of virus reassortment and host spillover [2, 12]

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