POTENTIAL RISK FACTORS FOR PUUMALA VIRUS-INDUCED EPIDEMIC HEMORRHAGIC FEVER WITH RENAL SYNDROME AMONG THE POPULATION OF FOREST-STEPPE AND STEPPE AREAS

Objective. To comparatively assess potential conditions for infection with Puumala virus-induced hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) among the population offorest-steppe and steppe areas in terms of the number and infection of small mammals. Materials and methods. By using the Orenburg Region as an example, the authors analyzed the materials of an epidemiological survey of 100 epidemic HFRS foci in the forest-steppe area and 100 ones in the steppe area in 1992- 2013. The numbers and infection of small mammals were studied. Results. There were no fundamental differences between the areas in the structure of potential conditions for infection among the population in the agricultural, lawn-and-garden, and household foci. The risk factors associated with fishing and recreation in the high-water bed of large rivers were significantly more frequently encountered in the steppe area. Bank voles (Clethrionomys) and wood mice (Apodemus), which are maximally infected, are predominant species of small mammals in the above areas. Conclusion. The risk factor for possible infection with Puumala virus-induced HFRS in the steppe area is temporary stays of people for recreational purposes in the high-water bed of large rivers where the predominant species of small mammals are bank voles and wood mice, which have high infection rates.

Puumala hantaviruses, risk factors, forest-steppe, steppe