2006 Summary:
Four cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome* (HPS) were diagnosed in
California residents in 2006. Three of these were fatalities.
Surveillance for hantavirus in California rodents
In 2006, 2498 rodents were collected and serologically tested for SNV antibody,
representing at least 17 species from 8 genera. At least one seroreactive rodent
was detected in 11 of 14 California counties in which surveillance was conducted in 2006. Of 2274 Peromyscus spp. collected, 224 (9.9 %) had serologic evidence of infection with SNV. Seroprevalence was highest in Peromyscus maniculatus at
15.7 percent.
2007 Activity:
No cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome have been detected in California
residents in 2007 to date.
Two Peromyscus maniculatus and one Reithrodontomys megalotis from Riverside
county have tested positive for SNV antibodies from January through March, 2007.
