Investigation of the aggregate incidence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in a working place

Objective The study was conducted investigate the epidemiological factors in relation to the aggregate incidence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome(HFRS) in order to provide evidence for responding strategies.Methods Field epidemiological investigation,case-control study,serological and etiological analysis was employed in the study to comprehensively analyze the affected cases,infected population,host animals and source of infection.Results Nine patients were found with one death.All affected cases lived in the identical work shed,with a shared incubation period.The attack rate was 64.28%(9/14),the infection rate 92.86%(13/14).However,the subclinical infection rate among workers who lived in the immediate vicinity was only 5.88%.The mouse density was 12.73% in field.The virus carrier rate of Apodemus agrarius was 17.65%(3/17) and the exponent was 0.15.Conclusion The outbreak was mainly caused by inhaled virus-carrying gasoloid in the work shed.Rare cases could be also found infected through damaged skin or by acarids bites.The source of infection was Apodemus agrarius.The aggregate epidemic was a rare case that had set up a new topic of HFRS prevention and control.