How Bank Vole-PUUV Interactions Influence the Eco-Evolutionary Processes Driving Nephropathia Epidemica Epidemiology—An Experimental and Genomic Approach

Abstract

In Europe, Puumala virus (PUUV) is responsible for nephropathia epidemica (NE), a mild form of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). Despite the presence of its reservoir, the bank vole, on most of French territory, the geographic distribution of NE cases is heterogeneous and NE endemic and non-endemic areas have been reported. In this study we analyzed whether bank vole-PUUV interactions could partly shape these epidemiological differences. We performed crossed-experimental infections using wild bank voles from French endemic (Ardennes) and non-endemic (Loiret) areas and two French PUUV strains isolated from these areas. The serological response and dynamics of PUUV infection were compared between the four cross-infection combinations. Due to logistical constraints, this study was based on a small number of animals. Based on this experimental design, we saw a stronger serological response and presence of PUUV in excretory organs (bladder) in bank voles infected with the PUUV endemic strain. Moreover, the within-host viral diversity in excretory organs seemed to be higher than in other non-excretory organs for the NE endemic cross-infection but not for the NE non-endemic cross-infection. Despite the small number of rodents included, our results showed that genetically different PUUV strains and in a lesser extent their interaction with sympatric bank voles, could affect virus replication and diversity. This could impact PUUV excretion/transmission between rodents and to humans and in turn at least partly shape NE epidemiology in France.

Seroprevalence of Hantavirus in Forestry Workers, Northern France, 2019–2020

“…Hantavirus hosts include the bank vole ( Myodes glareolus ) for PUUV, the brown rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) for SEOV, and the common vole ( Microtus arvalis ) for TULV. There are various hypotheses to explain this heterogeneous geographic distribution of PUUV, including environmental factors (influencing the rodent population dynamics and virus survival outside the host), rodent susceptibility (including virus replication and excretion), genetic characteristics of the viruses (favoring or not, its replication, its excretion, its survival outside the host), and human behaviors (contact with rodents or their excreta) [ 2 , 3 , 7 ]. PUUV prevalence studies in bank vole populations have only been conducted in the northeastern quarter of metropolitan France, in the endemic area, and its vicinity [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 ].…”