Seroprevalence of Heartland Virus Antibodies in Blood Donors, Northwestern Missouri, USA

Emerg Infect Dis. 2019 Feb;25(2):358-360. doi: 10.3201/eid2502.181288. Epub 2019 Feb 17.

Abstract

We estimated the seroprevalence of Heartland virus antibodies to be 0.9% (95% CI 0.4%-4.2%) in a convenience sample of blood donors from northwestern Missouri, USA, where human cases and infected ticks have been identified. Although these findings suggest that some past human infections were undetected, the estimated prevalence is low.

Keywords: Heartland virus; Missouri; United States; antibodies; arbovirus; blood donors; phlebovirus; seroprevalence; viruses.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology*
  • Blood Donors*
  • Bunyaviridae Infections / blood
  • Bunyaviridae Infections / epidemiology*
  • Bunyaviridae Infections / immunology*
  • Female
  • Geography, Medical
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Immunoglobulin G / immunology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Missouri / epidemiology
  • Phlebovirus / immunology*
  • Population Surveillance
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G