Kushnareva, T.V., Maksema, I.G., Obrastsov, Yu.G., Ivanis, V.A.

Hantavirus RNA detection in HFRS patients and evaluation of the efficacy etiotropic therapy by RT-PCR

Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, State Medical University, Vladivostok, Russia

The method of reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for detection the viral RNA in blood clots of patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). For PCR amplification of S-segment fragments of hantavirus genome the standard “nested” set of four primers was applied. Hantaviral RNA was discovered in 67,6% of examined specimens and registered predominantly until 12, or in some cases up to 18 days after onset of disease. Specific RNA in circulating immune complexes was detected during three weeks of disease. The efficacy of virazol treatment of HFRS patients was estimated when dynamic of hantavirus RNA detection was compared in control and experimental groups. These results showed the value of RT-PCR for diagnosticandevaluation the efficacy of etiotropic therapy HFRS in patients.
Zh. Mikrobiol. (Moscow), 2006, No. 3, Supplement, P. 99—101