Seroprevalence of seven zoonotic pathogens in pregnant women from the Caribbean

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2014 Sep;91(3):642-4. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.14-0107. Epub 2014 Jun 9.

Abstract

Studies examining the prevalence of zoonotic agents in the Caribbean are very limited. The objective of this study was to examine the seroprevalence of seven zoonotic agents among individuals residing on 10 English-speaking Caribbean countries. Sera from healthy, pregnant women were collected from Antigua-Barbuda, Belize, Bermuda, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent-Grenadines and tested for the presence of IgG antibodies to dengue virus, hepatitis E virus, hantaviruses, leptospiral agents, spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR), typhus group rickettsiae (TGR), and Coxiella burnetii (Q fever). The highest seroprevalence values were observed for dengue virus, SFGR, and leptospirosis, although the lowest seroprevalence values were observed for hepatitis E virus, C. burnetii, and TGR. Antibodies to hantaviruses were not detected in any individuals.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Caribbean Region / epidemiology
  • Coxiella burnetii / immunology
  • Coxiella burnetii / isolation & purification
  • Dengue / epidemiology*
  • Dengue / virology
  • Dengue Virus / immunology
  • Dengue Virus / isolation & purification
  • Female
  • Hantavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Hantavirus Infections / virology
  • Hepatitis E / epidemiology
  • Hepatitis E / virology
  • Hepatitis E virus / immunology
  • Hepatitis E virus / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin G / blood
  • Leptospira / immunology
  • Leptospira / isolation & purification
  • Leptospirosis / epidemiology*
  • Leptospirosis / microbiology
  • Orthohantavirus / immunology
  • Orthohantavirus / isolation & purification
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / microbiology
  • Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / virology
  • Q Fever / epidemiology*
  • Q Fever / microbiology
  • Rickettsia / immunology
  • Rickettsia / isolation & purification
  • Rickettsia Infections / epidemiology*
  • Rickettsia Infections / microbiology
  • Seroepidemiologic Studies
  • Zoonoses / epidemiology*
  • Zoonoses / microbiology
  • Zoonoses / virology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Immunoglobulin G