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Temporal and Spatial Host Abundance and Prevalence of Andes Hantavirus in Southern Argentina

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Abstract

Andes virus (AND) is a hantavirus hosted by the sigmodontine rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus in southern Argentina, where it is responsible for most cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). Our study provides data about the spatial variation in abundance of the rodent host of AND hantavirus. We report results of a longitudinal study performed in a locality of the Andean region of Chubut Province. From November 2003 (spring) to July 2006 (winter), O. longicaudatus was the most common species captured (63%) and it showed significant differences in abundance among habitats and seasons. Most antibody-positive rodents were O. longicaudatus (9.2%), followed by A. longipilis (3.6%) and A. olivaceus (1.5%). The highest number of antibody-positive animals was observed for males that belonged to the heaviest mass classes. Antibody-positive O. longicaudatus were more abundant in brush habitats. We found low richness of rodents and abundance of O. longicaudatus in areas affected by anthropogenic activity. The infection seems to be regionally persistent, but the risk to humans in a landscape would be localized. To develop accurate models for predicting HPS outbreaks, further research is needed to characterize rodent movement patterns across the landscape.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Susana Vilor for assistance with producing the English version. This research was made possible by grants from Fundación Mundo Sano and Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (FONCYT). Comments and suggestions from the editor and the anonymous reviewers greatly improved the manuscript and its language. The research on live animals was performed in a humane manner and was approved by national and international norms (www.sarem.org).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Francisco J. Polop & José W. Priotto

  2. Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Agencia Postal No. 3, 5800, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina

    Francisco J. Polop, María C. Provensal, José W. Priotto & Jaime J. Polop

  3. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Virales Humanas (INEVH), Pergamino, Argentina

    Noemí Pini, Silvana C. Levis, Delia Enría & Gladys E. Calderón

  4. Fundación Mundo Sano, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Federico Costa

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  1. Francisco J. Polop
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  2. María C. Provensal
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  3. Noemí Pini
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  4. Silvana C. Levis
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  6. Delia Enría
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  7. Gladys E. Calderón
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  8. Federico Costa
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  9. Jaime J. Polop
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Correspondence to María C. Provensal.

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Polop, F.J., Provensal, M.C., Pini, N. et al. Temporal and Spatial Host Abundance and Prevalence of Andes Hantavirus in Southern Argentina. EcoHealth 7, 176–184 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10393-010-0333-y

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