Seroprevalence of Sindbis virus and associated risk factors in northern Sweden

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection 2014-07, Vol.142 (7), p.1559-1565
• Main Authors: AHLM, C., ELIASSON, M., VAPALAHTI, O., EVANDER, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Age groups; Aged; Alphavirus Infections - blood; Alphavirus Infections - epidemiology; Alphavirus Infections - virology; Antibodies; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antigens; Arboviruses; Arthritis; Biological and medical sciences; Blood pressure; Chi-Square Distribution; Chikungunya virus; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease; Epidemics; Epidemiology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Health risk assessment; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Infections; Infectious Diseases; infektionssjukdomar; Joint diseases; Male; Medical Virology; medicinsk virologi; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Neglected diseases; Notifiable diseases; Original Papers; Other Infections; Predisposing factors; Public health; Regression analysis; risk assessment; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Serology; Sindbis Virus; Sindbis Virus - immunology; Sindbis Virus - isolation & purification; Stroke; Strokes; Sweden - epidemiology; Virology; Womens health; zoonoses
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268813002239

Mosquito-borne Sindbis virus (SINV) cause disease characterized by rash, fever and arthritis which often leads to long-lasting arthralgia. To determine the seroprevalence of SINV and associated risk factors in northern Sweden, a randomly selected population aged between 25 and 74 years were invited to join the MONICA study. Serum from 1611 samples were analysed for specific IgG antibodies. Overall, 2·9% had IgG against SINV. More men (3·7%) than women (2·0%) were SINV seropositive (P = 0·047) and it was more common in subjects with a lower educational level (P = 0·013) and living in small, rural communities (P