Mixed natural focus of tick-borne encephalitis, tularemia and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in west Slovakia.
Total of 923 small mammals of 7 species were collected in locality Záhorská Ves, West Slovakia, in 1990-1992. Among examined small mammal species it was Clethrionomys glareolus (48.7% of total, 17.5% positive for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus antibodies), Apodemus flavicollis (29.7% of total, 17.5% positive), A. sylvaticus (11.3% of total, 16.3% positive), and Microtus arvalis (6.2% of total, 10.5% positive). The most abundant tick species (larval and nymphal stages) on small mammals was Ixodes ricinus. The extensity of infestation was 35.1-50.7%, and the intensity of infestation ranged in average from 4.1 to 7.8 ticks per animal. Out of 884 small rodent serum samples 16.9% had neutralizing antibody to TBE virus. Eight TBE virus isolates were recovered, six from C. glareolus and one each from A. flavicollis and A. sylvaticus; seven isolates were from brain tissue and one was from a pool of lung and liver tissues. One strain of Francisella tularensis was isolated from a pool of spleens of four C. glareolus collected in August 1991. Hantavirus antigens were detected in lung tissues of four M. arvalis collected in July and November 1990-1992. Antibody to Hantaan virus was detected by ELISA in one serum sample of A. flavicollis (titer 1:256) and antibody to Puumala virus in one serum sample of C. glareolus (titer 1:16).
Kozuch
O
O
Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava.
Gurycová
D
D
Lysý
J
J
Labuda
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D018792:Encephalitis, Viral / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005604:Francisella tularensis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018063:Hantaan virus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006480:Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D051379:Mice; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D013987:Ticks / Q000145:classification; D014406:Tularemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*
D000914:Antibodies, Viral