Hantaviral, Rickettsial and Leptospiral Antibodies in Egyptians: a Study of Human and Rodent Populations

Hantaviruses are zoonotic, rodents being the reservoir of the viruses and source for human infections. Several strains of hantaviruses exist in different geographical locations around the world causing several clinical conditions. Exposure to rodent excreta is the mode of transmission. They can cause serious diseases in humans. The current publication is the first and probably the only study tackling evidence of Hantavirus infection in humans and in rodents trapped in the coastal city of Alexandria, Egypt. Since rodents are sources of other infections to humans such as rickettsia and leptospira, human sera and sera from trapped rodents were also tested for antibodies to these 2 bacteria as well. This work has been a Ph. D dissertation carried out in Alexandria University as a joint project with NAMRU-III