Prevalence of Rabies Virus and Hantaan Virus Infections in Commensal Rodents and Shrews Trapped in Bangkok

W ANNEE KANTAKAMALAKUL, PhD*, SONTA NA SIRITA NTIKORN, Drrernat*, PRASERT THONGCHAROEN, Drmed*, CHANTRA SINGCHAI, DVM**, PILAIPAN PUTHA VA THANA, PhD*

Affiliation : * Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, ** Veterinary Public Health Division, Department of Health, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Bangkok 10200, Thailand.

AbstractFive hundred rodents and shrews (Rattus norvegicus: 458, Rattus rattus: 28, Rattus exulans: 5, Mus musculus: 4 and Suncus murine: 5) trapped from the fresh food markets around Bangkok area were investigated for rabies virus and Hantaan virus infections. No rabies viral antigens in the animals' brains were detected by direct immunofluorescence. On the other hand, antibodies to Hantaan virus were demonstrated in the sera of 7 (1.53%) R. norvegicus caught in various markets using a particle agglutination technique. Further determination of the viral genome in rat lung tissue was performed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nested PCR, 3 (0.66%) out of 7 were positive. Hindiii and Hijl restriction enzyme analyses showed the pattern of the Hantaan virus genome in 2 samples and that of the Seoul virus genome in the other.
The results of the present study suggest that rodents from Bangkok's fresh food markets did not carry rabies. Thus, getting rid of rabies in dogs or cats in the Bangkok area may be easier than anti cipated because there are no sources of asymptomatic reservoirs. This may result in the low incidence of rabies patients observed in Bangkok. On the contrary, the presence of antibodies and the Hantaan virus genome and Seoul virus genome in R. norvegicus will definitely provide evidence for physicians to be aware of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and other clinical settings of Hantaan/ Seoul virus disease in patients with a history of having contact with rats or their excreta.

Keywords : Rabies Virus, Hantaan Virus, Seoul Virus, Commensal Rodents and Shrews

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