Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the most important causative agent of arboviral infection in Europe, causing neurologic symptoms. The incidence of the disease has greatly increased over the past decades, and in the meantime, some changes in spatial distribution of TBE cases have been observed. Therefore, it is important to recognize the distribution of endemic areas, to use preventive measures successfully. In this study, rodents from all over Slovenia were evaluated as suitable sentinels for TBEV distribution. Rodents from four species (Myodes glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus sylvaticus, and Apodemus agrarius) were screened for the presence of TBEV antibodies with immunofluorescence assay; the antibodies were detected in 5.9% of sera. The prevalence of infection varied according to the rodent species and according to the region of trapping. Select rodents were also screened for the presence of TBEV RNA in several organs. Both analyses showed higher rate of infection in bank voles, which also produced higher titers of anti-TBEV antibodies and a higher TBEV RNA viral load compared with mice. The regional prevalence of infection in rodents can be correlated with the incidence of disease. Molecular results indicate that the virus can be detected in the organs of the rodents for longer periods, indicating prolonged infections of the rodent hosts by the virus. Rodents can therefore be used as a useful indicator of the circulation of TBEV in an area.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.