Seroprevalence of Old World Hantaviruses and Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses in Human Populations in Northwestern Ukraine.

Ihor Lozynskyi,Anna Shulgan,Olena Nesterova,William Kessler,Evan P Williams,Mariah K Taylor,Gregory E Glass,Iryna Ben,Xueyuan Cao,Colleen B Jonsson,Olha Zarichna,Briana Spruill-Harrell

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2020.589464

Abstract

In Ukraine, a retrospective review of clinical case reports by public health officials suggest that human cases of febrile illnesses associated with hemorrhage may be due to infections of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) and Old World hantaviruses. In a serosurvey of 966 healthy individuals in the Lviv Oblast, Ukraine, bordering Poland, we found that 1.6% showed cross-reactivity to hantaviral antigens by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and 1.7% of the study participants had antibodies cross-reactive to CCHFV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Demographic variables and history of exposures obtained through questionnaires were assessed by logistic regression models for association with seroprevalence for both viruses with no significant risk factors found. Analysis of spatial distribution identified two clusters of samples positive for antibodies to both hantaviruses and CCHFV, which, however, were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In general, the study results suggest that the population of the study area is exposed to hantaviruses and CCHFV. Further surveillance for respective pathogens in Ukraine is warranted and prospective surveillance of febrile patients with unidentified febrile illness.

Highlights

Hemorrhagic fever viruses causing febrile illness include Rift Valley Fever virus, Lassa fever virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), and several Old World hantaviruses
In Europe, hantaviruses associated with HFRS include Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) and Dobrava-Belgrade orthohantavirus (DOBV) strains (Heyman et al, 2011), which are carried by the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) and the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) or the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus agrarius), respectively
The study region was located within Lviv Oblast, which lies in western Ukraine and shares international boundaries with Poland to the west (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

Hemorrhagic fever viruses causing febrile illness include Rift Valley Fever virus, Lassa fever virus, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV), and several Old World hantaviruses. Based on the presence of vectors or reservoirs for CCHFV and hantaviruses in Ukraine, public health officials suggest that human cases of febrile illnesses may be due to exposure to these pathogens. The primary vector for CCHFV is the ixodid tick, with the Hyalomma species serving as the principal transmitter in nature (Messina et al, 2015a; Messina et al, 2015b). Systematic surveillance studies to identify CCHFV in Ukraine have not been conducted, it is likely that the virus is widely present in southern regions of the country. Ukrainian public health officials have detected CCHFV antigen in Ixodes ticks in several Oblasts of Ukraine, including Zakarpattia and Lviv

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Results

Conclusion