Screening of Forestry Workers in Guadalajara Province (Spain) for Antibodies to Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus, Hantavirus, Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi

Lourdes Lledó, Consuelo Giménez-Pardo and María Isabel Gegúndez
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Lourdes Lledó: Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Universidad de Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
Consuelo Giménez-Pardo: Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Universidad de Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain
María Isabel Gegúndez: Departamento de Biomedicina y Biotecnología, Universidad de Alcalá, 28801 Alcalá de Henares, Spain

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 22, 1-9

Abstract: Exposure to Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), hantaviruses, Rickettsia spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi among forestry workers from a province in central Spain (Guadalajara) was examined by serological screening. This is the first such study in this rural area, where people often live and work in proximity to domestic and wild animals. Immunofluorescent analyses of the serum of 100 forestry workers detected IgG antibodies to LCMV in 2% (CL 95% 0.55%–7.0%) of this population, to hantaviruses in 4% (CL 95% 1.6%–8.3%) for the serum amyloid A (SAA) serotype, and 2% (CL 95% 0.55%–7.0%) for the Seoul virus (SEO) serotype (samples also positive for SAA), to Rickettsia in 8% (CL 95% 4.1%–15%) (3% (CL 95% 1.0%–8.5%) for R. typhi and 5% (CL 95% 2.2%–11.2%) for R. slovaca , and to B. burgdorferi in 7% (CL 95% 3.4%–13.8%). The number of people who have been exposed to these organisms is commonly underestimated since most infections are asymptomatic. Greater epidemiological surveillance may therefore be recommended.

Keywords: epidemiology; forestry workers; zoonosis; Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; hantavirus; Rickettsia; Borrelia burgdorferi (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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