Multiple co-infections of rodents with hantaviruses, Leptospira, and Babesia in Croatia.
Hantaviruses, Leptospira spp., and Babesia spp. are rodent-borne pathogens present worldwide. We studied multiple co-infections of small rodents in Croatia with all three pathogens. Twenty-eight Apodemus flavicollis and 16 Myodes glareolus were tested for the presence of hantavirus RNA by real-time RT-PCR, Leptospira strains by renoculture method and Babesia DNA by PCR. Anti-hantavirus antibodies and anti-Leptospira antibodies were detected by serological methods. Very high infection rates with each pathogen were found in A. flavicollis: 20 of 28 rodents (71%) were infected with Dobrava virus, 13 rodents (46%) were infected with Leptospira, and 5 rodents (18%) were infected with Babesia. Multiple co-infections with all three pathogens were found in 3 of 28 (11%) A. flavicollis animals, suggesting that the same rodent host can be infected with several pathogens at the same time. Dual infections with both hantaviruses and Leptospira were found in 7 of 44 rodents (16%), with hantaviruses and Babesia in 2 rodents (5%), and double infection with both Leptospira and Babesia were found in 1 rodent (2%). Since hantaviruses, Leptospira, and Babesia have similar geographical distributions, it is to be expected that in other parts of the world multiple co-infections, representing a serious threat to public health, can be found.
University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević," Research Department, Zagreb, Croatia. ante.tadin@bfm.hr
Ante
A
Tadin
Nenad
N
Turk
Miša
M
Korva
Josip
J
Margaletić
Relja
R
Beck
Marko
M
Vucelja
Josipa
J
Habuš
Petra
P
Svoboda
Tatjana Avšič
TA
Zupanc
Heikki
H
Henttonen
Alemka
A
Markotić
D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood; D003411:Arvicolinae; D001403:Babesia / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D060085:Coinfection / Q000662:veterinary*; D017523:Croatia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006476:Orthohantavirus / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018778:Hantavirus Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007919:Leptospira / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D051189:Murinae; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012376:Rodent Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology
D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral