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pubmed:abstractText |
Antisera prepared against 16 strains of hantaviruses isolated from patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) or from rodents captured in HFRS-endemic and nonendemic regions were titrated against Hantaan virus strain 76-118, Puumala virus strain Sotkamo, and Prospect Hill virus strain Prospect Hill-I by using the indirect immunofluorescent antibody and plaque reduction neutralization tests. Isolates fell into one of four distinct groups or serotypes. Serotype 1 included Apodemus-derived strains, serotype 2 included Rattus-derived strains, serotype 3 included Clethrionomys-derived strains, and serotype 4 included Microtus-derived strains. Serotypic classification of hantavirus infections was possible for humans and rodents in widely varied geographical areas, but in a few instances, sera from patients with HFRS did not conform to any of the four serotypes, suggesting the existence of as yet unidentified serotypes. A definitive serological classification of hantaviruses must await analysis of additional virus isolates.
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