CERoPath

CERoPath  project (ANR 07 BDIV 012) investigates the structures of murine rodent communities, their pathogens  (microparasites) and their macroparasites  (helminths and arthropods) in Cambodia, Lao P.D.R. and Thailand. South-East Asia is characterized by a high biodiversity, threatened by rapid environmental changes under the pressure of the economic development and insertion into the global economy. In South-East Asia, rodents are hosts and vectors of several agents causing diseases in humans (including leptospirosis, scrub typhus, toxoplasmosis, viral hemorrhagic fevers) and in livestock (trypanosomiasis).

News

HANTAVIRUS, HEMORRHAGIC FEVER WITH RENAL SYNDROME - TAIWAN

Date:  Thu 27 Feb 2014

Source: Taipei Times [edited] 

A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of theInternational Society for Infectious Diseases

  This year's [2014] 1st confirmed case of hantavirus hemorrhagic feverwith renal syndrome (HFRS), which is mainly caused by contact withhantavirus infected rodents, has been reported, the Centers forDisease Control (CDC) said yesterday [26 Feb 2014]. The virus is notcaused by human-to-human transmission, but by exposure to the urine ordroppings of infected mice, a CDC official said.

  A 62-year-old man living in the south developed symptoms, includingfever and dizziness, early this month [February 2014] and subsequentlyexperienced headaches, rashes, fatigue, diarrhea, abdominal pains, andhad low, dark-colored urine before seeking medical attention and beinghospitalized. He was later diagnosed with damaged hepatic and renalfunctions, fluid overload, and shortness of breath, and was confirmedas having [a] hantavirus infection, the CDC said.

  The man has since recovered after treatment and been discharged, theagency said, adding that the 8 people living or working with him havenot displayed symptoms associated with the virus. Local healthauthorities collected mice from the patient's work and livingenvironments for testing and have also carried out rodent-controlmeasures in the area to curb further infections, the CDC said.

  HFRS is caused by infection with hantaviruses, which are mainlycarried by rodents, especially commonly seen mice, the agency said."The hantavirus cannot be transferred from one person to another.People get infected with the virus by being exposed to the urine ordroppings of virus-carrying mice. HFRS is the result if thevirus-carrying droplets are inhaled," CDC Deputy Director-General ChouJih-haw said.

  "A total of 12 cases of confirmed HFRS have been reported from 2001 tolast year [2013], none of which were fatal, but the virus can makepeople fairly uncomfortable," he said, adding that hantavirusinfection can cause fever, headaches, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea,hemorrhages, and kidney damage.

  According to the results of the CDC's 2010 research project onrodent-borne communicable diseases in the 5 special municipalities,people living near or working in night markets and wet markets are ahigh risk group for hantavirus infection.

  Chou said people should make sure that there is no food for mice toeat and no place for them to stay. Mice droppings or urine should besprayed with bleach or alcohol and be disposed of 30 minutes later, headded.

[Byline: Alison Hsiao]--

Communicated by:PRO/MBDS<[email protected]>

Rodent meeting group picture

New CERoPath publications

Bordes F., Herbreteau V., Dupuy S., Chaval Y., Tran A., Morand S., 2013. The diversity of microparasites of rodents: a comparative analysis that helps in identifying rodent-borne rich habitats in Southeast Asia. Infect Ecol Epidemiol., 3 (Epub 2013 Apr 8).

Milocco C., Kamyingkird K., Desquesnes M., Jittapalapong S., Herbreteau V., Chaval Y., Douangboupha B., Morand S. 2013. Molecular demonstration of Trypanosoma evansi  and Trypanosoma lewisi  DNA in wild rodents from Cambodia, Lao PDR and Thailand. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, 60(1):17-26.

Pagès M., Bazin E., Galan M., Chaval Y., Claude J., Herbreteau V., Michaux J., Piry S., Morand S., Cosson J.F., 2013. Cytonuclear discordance among Southeast Asian black rats (Rattus rattus  complex). Mol Ecol., 22(4):1019-34.

Pakdeenarong N., Siribat P., Chaisiri K., Douangboupha B., Ribas A., Chaval Y., Herbreteau V., Morand S., 2013. Helminth communities in murid rodents from southern and northern localities in Lao PDR: the role of habitat and season. Journal of Helminthology. pp 1-8 [Epub ahead of print].

and more in the References section