title: Serological evidence of tick-borne encephalitis virus infection in moose and deer in Finland: sentinels for virus circulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in humans has increased in Finland, and the disease has emerged in new foci. These foci have been investigated to determine the circulating virus subtype, the tick host species and the ecological parameters, but countrywide epidemiological information on the distribution of TBEV has been limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we screened sera from hunter-harvested wild cervids for the presence of antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) with a hemagglutination inhibition test. The positive results were confirmed by a neutralisation assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nine (0.74%) of 1213 moose, one (0.74%) of 135 white-tailed deer, and none of the 17 roe deer were found seropositive for TBEV. A close geographical congruence between seropositive cervids and recently reported human TBE cases was observed: nine of the ten seropositive animals were from known endemic areas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results confirm the local circulation of TBEV in several known endemic areas. One seropositive moose had been shot in an area where human TBE cases have not been reported, suggesting a possible new focus. Moose appear to be a useful sentinel animal for the presence of TBEV in the taiga region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland. Elina.rintala@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tonteri
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland. pikka.jokelainen@helsinki.fi.|Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland. pikka.jokelainen@helsinki.fi.|Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences and Population Medicine, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia. pikka.jokelainen@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Pikka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jokelainen
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Management and Production of Renewable Resources, Joensuu, Finland. juho.matala@luke.fi.
authors.forename: Juho
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matala
authors.affiliation: Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Management and Production of Renewable Resources, Joensuu, Finland. jyrki.pusenius@luke.fi.
authors.forename: Jyrki
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pusenius
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Medicine, Helsinki, Finland. olli.vapalahti@helsinki.fi.|Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland. olli.vapalahti@helsinki.fi.|Department of Virology and Immunology, Hospital district of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUSLAB), Helsinki, Finland. olli.vapalahti@helsinki.fi.
authors.forename: Olli
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vapalahti
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003670:Deer; D004669:Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne / Q000276:immunology*; D004675:Encephalitis, Tick-Borne / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral
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