AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY OF HEMORRHAGIC-FEVER WITH RENAL SYNDROME IN BASHKIRTOSTAN (RUSSIA) AND SWEDEN

The incidence and antibody prevalence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) in Bashkirtostan (European part of Russia) and norther n Sweden was compared with the abundance of Clethrionomys glareolus (b ank voles) in the two areas. In Bashkirtostan, 10% of the women and 15 % of the men were found to be antibody positive. The corresponding fig ures for Sweden were 8% and 16% for women and men, respectively. The a nnual incidence of HFRS in Bashkirtostan was 50 cases per 100,000 inha bitants, with a male:female ratio of 4.6:1. The incidence in the endem ic area of Sweden was seven cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with a male : female ratio of 1.8:1. A similar age distribution of cases, with a p eak in the middle age groups, especially in men, was found in both Bas hkirtostan and Sweden. The incidence of HFRS in humans and the abundan ce of bank voles varied with time in both Bashkirtostan and Sweden, bu t the study failed to find any significant correlation between the two variables. The study showed that HFRS causes significant human morbid ity in the areas studied but that both incidence and possibly bank vol e abundance was higher in Bashkirtostan than in northern Sweden.