Description of an outbreak of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in the southern Jura Mountains, France, in 2021

Abstract

Objective: The aim of our study was to describe the 2021 Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) outbreak in the southern Jura Mountains.

Patients and methods: We included all laboratory-confirmed cases of HFRS reported between April and September 2021 in the three local hospitals.

Results: A total of 90 patients were enrolled in the study: 73 hospitalized and 17 non-hospitalized patients. Transient myopia was only reported in non-hospitalized patients. Forty (44.4 %) patients underwent medical imaging before hantavirus diagnosis. Twenty-one patients (28.8 %) had a plasma creatinine level > 353.6 µmol/L, no patient developed severe metabolic disorder. Only one patient was dialyzed. A pacemaker was implanted before diagnosis of HFRS due to severe bradycardia in one patient. Sudden death was reported in one patient.

Conclusion: This hantavirus epidemic led to numerous hospitalizations, one dialysis treatment, and one death. Early diagnosis by rapid test could avoid unnecessary investigations.

Keywords: Hantavirus; Hemorrhagic fever; Puumala virus.