The Prevalence of Antibodies Against Sindbis-related (Pogosta) Virus in Different Parts of Finland

Objective: To study the occurrence of Sindbis-related (Pogosta) disease in Finland by serological means.

Methods: A total of 2250 serum samples from five different areas were included in the study. Four hundred samples were collected from healthy blood donors and 1850 samples from patients who were suspected to have some viral infection. Antibodies of IgG and IgM classes against Pogosta virus were measured.

Results: Eleven per cent of 2250 samples were positive for IgG and 0.6% were positive for IgM class antibodies against Pogosta virus. The antibody prevalence in Finland was almost equally distributed, being highest in western Finland (17%) and lowest in southern and northern Finland (9%). Of all samples with IgG class antibodies, 25% were taken from children under 10 yr of age.

Conclusions: The prevalence of antibodies against Pogosta virus was much higher than we expected. Additionally, they were detected from all locations studied and not only in eastern Finland, which has been thought to be the main endemic area for this disease. Pogosta disease has been considered to affect mainly middle-aged persons, but our results indicate a high prevalence also among children.