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Published Date: 2013-05-21 20:58:48
Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Hantavirus update - Americas (26): Panama (VR)
Archive Number: 20130521.1729225

HANTAVIRUS UPDATE - AMERICAS (26): PANAMA (VERAGUAS)
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Date: Mon 20 May 2013
Source: Critica [in Spanish, transl. Mod. TY, edited]
http://www.critica.com.pa/notas/1587943-se-reporta-nuevo-caso-hantavirus


In Veraguas, 7 hantavirus [infection] cases have been registered so far in 2013. It is a disease transmitted from rodents, as confirmed by authorities of the Regional Ministry of Health.

The newest case of [a] hantavirus [infection] is a 22 year old youth in the Lovaina community, Las Palmas district, who was taken to the Veraguas provincial regional hospital and is recuperating from the disease.

[Byline: Melquiades Vasquez]

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[Although the hantavirus involved in these cases is not specified, the one most likely responsible for this and 6 previous cases in Veraguas province this year (2013) is Choclo virus. As mentioned in ProMED-mail archive number 20130204.1527935, of the 3 hantaviruses known to occur in Panama, only Choclo is a known human pathogen, causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which can have a high case fatality rate, especially when victims come to hospital late in the course of their disease. Fortunately, 6 of the 7 cases this year have survived their infections.

The rodent host of Choclo virus is the pygmy rice rat (_Oligoryzomys fulvescens_) a photograph of which can be accessed at http://www.medwave.cl/medios/perspectivas/Hantavirus/Actualiz/Fig2.jpg.

Maps of Panama can be accessed at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/panama.jpg and http://healthmap.org/r/5cGk. - Mod.TY

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at: http://healthmap.org/r/1D8S.]

See Also

Hantavirus update - Americas (23): Panama (VR) 20130502.1687745
Hantavirus update - Americas (20): Argentina, Panama: 20130419.1653266
Hantavirus update - Americas (12): Panama (VR) 20130303.1568723
Hantavirus update - Americas (11): Panama (LS) 20130216.1545901
Hantavirus update - Americas (10): Panama (VR) 20130209.1536871
Hantavirus update - Americas (08): Panama (VR) 20130204.1527935
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