MAYARO VIRUS FEVER IN FRENCH-GUIANA - ISOLATION, IDENTIFICATION, AND SEROPREVALENCE

This paper reports the first isolation of Mayaro (MAY) virus from a pa tient infected in French Guiana. The identification was initially perf ormed using immunofluorescent antibody testing with specific mouse ant ibody, and confirmed by plaque-reduction neutralization testing and re verse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. To determine if MAY vir us infection is widespread in French Guiana, a serosurvey was performe d to determine the prevalence of antibody to this virus in various eth nic groups and areas of French Guiana. Human sera (n = 1,962) were scr eened using the hemagglutination inhibition (I-EI) test. To determine whether MAY virus circulates in the rain forest, a serosurvey in monke y populations was performed. Monkey sera (n = 150) were also screened for antibody to MAY virus using HI testing. Of the human sera tested, 6.3% were positive for anti-MAY virus antibodies. Significant differen ces in MAY virus seroprevalence between different age groups were obse rved. Seroprevalence rates increased with age, with a large increase i n people 10-19 years of age in comparison with those less than 10 year s of age. After adjustment for age, significant differences were also found between places of residence. The prevalence of anti-MAY virus an tibody was higher in people living in contact with the forest, especia lly in the Haut Oyapock area (odds ratio [OR] = 97.7, 95% confidence i nterval [CT] = 48.2-197.9) and along the Maroni River (OR = 39.7, 95% CI = 20.6-76.6). The ethnic differences observed in this study were pr obably due to differences in residence. Among monkeys, higher seroprev alence rates were found in Alouatta seniculus (66.0%) than in Saguinus midas (18.2%). Among Alouatta, the seroprevalence increased significa ntly with weight land therefore with age). This study indicates that M AY virus is present in French Guiana, and human infections occur in ar eas where people live near the tropical rain forest.