Nephropathia epidemica and Puumala virus in Austria

To study the epidemiology of hantavirus infections in Austria, 1215 humans and 596 rodents of different species were tested for the presence of antibo dies against Puumala and Hantaan virus. Direct virus identification by poly merase chain reaction in lung tissue of serologically positive rodents was performed to verify antibody results and to determine the genetic identity of viral RNA by phylogenetic analysis of a part of the hantavirus M segment . For 32 of the 37 cases of nephropathia epidemica diagnosed in Austria, th e location where transmission took place could be traced to specific areas in the Austrian federal states of Carinthia and Styria. The overall seropre valence in humans was 1.2% and ranged from 0.02% in Villach, Carinthia, to 0.8% in Korneuburg, Lower Austria, and 1.8% in Wolfsberg, Carinthia. Virus RNA could be amplified from three Clethrionomys glareolus voles collected i n Klippitztorl, Carinthia, and from one collected in Ernstbrunn, Lower Aust ria. The sequences were all identified as Puumala virus by phylogenetic ana lysis and were found to be most closely related to the western European Puu mala viruses from Germany and France. No evidence of the existence of Hanta an-like infections and viruses in Austria was found.