title: Maternal antibodies postpone hantavirus infection and enhance individual breeding success.
abstract: The transfer of maternal antibodies from mother to progeny is a well-known phenomenon in avian and mammalian species. Optimally, they protect the newborn against the pathogens in the environment. The effect of maternal antibodies on microparasite transmission dynamics may have important consequences for both the fitness of the host and the epizootic processes of the pathogens. However, there is a scarcity of studies examining these effects in free-living wild species. We studied the influence of maternal antibodies against the zoonotic Puumala hantavirus (PUUV) on the fitness of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) and on PUUV transmission by exposing young maternal antibody-positive (MatAb+) and negative (MatAb-) bank voles (n=160) to PUUV in experimental populations. PUUV-specific maternal antibodies delayed the timing of infection. Females were more susceptible to PUUV infection than males. Interestingly, both the females and the males with maternal antibodies matured earlier than the other individuals in the population. Our results highlight the significance of maternal antibodies in the transmission of a pathogen and in the breeding success of the carriers.
authors.affiliation: Vantaa Research Unit, Finnish Forest Research Institute, PO Box 18, FIN-01301 Vantaa, Finland. eva.kallio@metla.fi
authors.forename: Eva R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Kallio
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poikonen
authors.forename: Antti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaheri
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vapalahti
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Henttonen
authors.forename: Esa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koskela
authors.forename: Tapio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mappes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004198:Disease Susceptibility / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D029262:Puumala virus / Q000276:immunology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology