Browsing by Author "Palma, Eduardo"
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Item A 19 Year Analysis of Small Mammals Associated with Human Hantavirus Cases in Chile(2019) Torrez-Pérez, Fernando; Palma, Eduardo; Boric-Bargetto, Dusan; Vial, Cecilia; Ferrés, Marcela; Vial, Pablo; Martínez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Pavletic, Carlos; Parra, Alonso; Marquet, Pablo; Mertz, GregorySmall mammals present in areas where hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) cases had occurred in central and southern Chile were captured and analyzed to evaluate theabundance of rodents and seroprevalence rates of antibodies to Andes orthohantavirus (ANDV). Sampling areas ranged from the Coquimbo to Aysén regions (30–45° S approx.) regions. Ninetytwo sites in peridomestic and countryside areas were evaluated in 19 years of sampling. An antibody against ANDV was detected by strip immunoassay in 58 of 1847 specimens captured using Sherman traps. Of the eleven species of rodents sampled, Abrothrix olivacea, Oligoryzomys longicaudatus and Abrothrix hirta were the most frequently trapped. O. longicaudatus had the highest seropositivity rate, and by logistic regression analysis, O. longicaudatus of at least 60 g had 80% or higher probability to be seropositive. Sex, age and wounds were significantly related to seropositivity only for O. longicaudatus. Across administrative regions, the highest seropositivity was found in the El Maule region (34.8–36.2° S), and the highest number of HCPS cases was registered in the Aysén region. Our results highlight the importance of long term and geographically extended studies, particularly for highly fluctuating pathogens and their reservoirs, to understand the implications of the dynamics and transmission of zoonotic diseases in human populations.Item Person-to-Person Household and Nosocomial Transmission of Andes Hantavirus, Southern Chile, 2011(Centers for Desease Control and Prevention, 2014) Martinez-Valdebenito, Constanza; Calvo, Mario; Vial, Cecilia; Mansilla, Rita; Marco, Claudia; Palma, Eduardo; Vial, Pablo; Valdivieso, Francisca; Mertz, Gregory; Ferrés, MarcelaAndes hantavirus (ANDV) causes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome in Chile and is the only hantavirus for which person-to-person transmission has been proven. We describe an outbreak of 5 human cases of ANDV infection in which symptoms developed in 2 household contacts and 2 health care workers after exposure to the index case-patient. Results of an epidemiologic investigation and sequence analysis of the virus isolates support person-to-person transmission of ANDV for the 4 secondary case-patients, including nosocomial transmission for the 2 health care workers. Health care personnel who have direct contact with ANDV case-patients or their body fluids should take precautions to prevent transmission of the virus. In addition, because the incubation period of ANDV after environmental exposure is longer than that for person-to-person exposure, all persons exposed to a confirmed ANDV case-patient or with possible environmental exposure to the virus should be monitored for 42 days for clinical symptoms.