EPIDEMOLOGY AND ECOLOGY OF VENEZUELAN HEMORRHAGIC FEVER

这个项目的目标是阐明流行病学和 一种新出现的病毒--委内瑞拉出血热的生态学 人畜共患病。VHF于1989年首次被发现；其病原体， 瓜纳里托病毒(Arenaviridae)是1991年分离到的。在此期间 期间，约有104例霍乱病例，其中26人死亡。 委内瑞拉卫生部。目前，这种疾病似乎是 仅限于该国的中原(大草原)地区。 初步现场研究表明，VHF是由啮齿动物传播的；人类 可能通过接触受感染野生动物的排泄物而感染病毒 啮齿动物。该项目的具体目标是：(1)确定 VHF的发病率、流行率和全部地理分布，(2)至 确定风险因素(环境、行为、社会经济) 人感染瓜那利托病毒(GV)，并提出 传输周期可以被中断，(3)以确定 人类对GV感染的血液学和免疫反应的研究 GV病毒感染鼠类自然宿主的致病机制研究(5) 研究一种典型禽流感病毒的传播动力学 (Tamiami)在实验实验室下的自然啮齿动物宿主中 (6)研究主要啮齿动物的野外生态。 为了更好地了解GV水库之间的关系 人类和啮齿动物感染。该项目将包括现场和 实验室研究；这将是科学家之间的合作努力 在耶鲁大学，委内瑞拉卫生部和中心 疾病控制中心。

The objective of this project is to elucidate the epidemiology and ecology of Venezuelan hemorrhagic fever (VHF), an emerging viral zoonosis. VHF was first recognized in 1989; and the etiologic agent, Guanarito virus (family Arenaviridae), was isolated in 1991. During that period, about 104 cases of the disease with 26 deaths were reported to the Venezuelan Ministry of Health. At present, the disease appears to be confined to the central plains (llanos) region of the country. Preliminary field studies suggest that VHF is rodent-borne; humans probably acquire the virus by contact with excreta from infected wild rodents. The specific aims of the project are (1) to determine the incidence, prevalence and full geographic distribution of VHF, (2) to identify risk factors (environmental, behavioral, socioeconomic) for human infection with guanarito virus (GV) and to propose methods by which the transmission cycle can be interrupted, (3) to determine the hematologic and immune responses of humans to GV infection, (4) to study the pathogenesis of GV virus infection in its natural rodent hosts, (5) to examine the transmission dynamics of a representative arenavirus (Tamiami) in its natural rodent host under experimental laboratory conditions, and (6) to study the field ecology of the principal rodent reservoirs of GV in order to better understand the relationship between human and rodent infections. This project will consist of both field and laboratory studies; it will be a collaborative effort between scientists at Yale University, the Venezuelan Ministry of Health and the Centers for Disease Control.