Brush Mouse (Peromyscus Boylii ) Population Dynamics and Hantavirus Infection During a Warm, Drought Period in Southern Arizona

Abstract

ABSTRACT:We monitored Limestone Canyon hantavirus (LSCV) antibody prevalence, host (brush mouse, Peromyscus boylii) abundance, and environmental variables (temperature and rainfall) in brush mice captured on three trapping webs in southern Arizona for 5 yr. Although seasonal patterns were subtle, we observed large multiyear variation in population abundance and antibody prevalence. Limestone Canyon hantavirus infection in brush mouse populations varied over time with prevalence ranging from 0% to 33%. At all trapping webs, evidence of infection disappeared completely for an extended period (up to 2 yr) and eventually reappeared, suggesting that dispersal may play a role in maintaining infection in brush mouse metapopulations. Weather during the study period was drier and warmer than average and these conditions, especially during spring through fall, may have contributed to low brush mouse population density and the local extinction of LSCV during the second year of the study. Nevertheless, population growth was associated with relatively warm, dry conditions during winter periods and a cool, wet spring and summer period in the fifth year of the study. After prolonged absence, LSCV infection was consistently detected only when brush mouse population abundance reached relatively high levels during that fifth year. Comparison of our results to similar studies suggests that stochastic events resulting in the loss or survival of a few infected mice in low-density host populations may result in local extinction of virus; reestablishment of infection may occur via immigration of infected individuals from adjacent populations, but may be successful only when populations are of sufficient density to support frequent rodent-to-rodent interactions and virus transmission.

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome in Santa Cruz, Bolivia: Outbreak Investigation and Antibody Prevalence Study

“…The occurrence of six human hantavirus infections (including both PCR- and IgM-positive cases) in two ecologically disparate areas of Santa Cruz Department within a few months may relate to region-wide climatic or ecological influences resulting in increased rodent populations [29]–[31]. Deviations in precipitation or temperature, sometimes associated with effects on flowering and fruiting or seed-set of particular plants known to be significant sources of food for rodents, have been implicated in other hantavirus outbreaks, although the precise relationship remains ill-defined [32], [33].…”

Sin Nombre hantavirus decreases survival of male deer mice

“…There is evidence that survival and recapture rates may vary between the sexes, by infection status, by breeding status, seasonally, or at other temporal scales (Douglass et al 2001(Douglass et al , 2007Kuenzi et al 2007). Therefore, the covariates we explored were sex, antibody status (positive or negative), month, year, and time.…”

Peromyscus schmidlyi (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

“…There is a report for 1 member of the P. boylii species group with positive serology for Y. pestis (Davis et al 2002;Nieto et al 2007) in California. Species of Peromyscus are host for Limestone Canyon hantavirus, and there is at least 1 report for a member of the P. boylii species group that is host of this virus (Kuenzi et al 2007). Also, there are reports of P. boylii as a reservoir of hantavirus (Abbott et al 1999;Mantooth et al 2001), including Sin Nombre virus (Kuenzi et al 1999).…”