Puumala hantavirus infections in bank vole populations: host and virus dynamics in Central Europe

Abstract

BackgroundIn Europe, bank voles (Myodes glareolus) are widely distributed and can transmit Puumala virus (PUUV) to humans, which causes a mild to moderate form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, called nephropathia epidemica. Uncovering the link between host and virus dynamics can help to prevent human PUUV infections in the future. Bank voles were live trapped three times a year in 2010–2013 in three woodland plots in each of four regions in Germany. Bank vole population density was estimated and blood samples collected to detect PUUV specific antibodies.ResultsWe demonstrated that fluctuation of PUUV seroprevalence is dependent not only on multi-annual but also on seasonal dynamics of rodent host abundance. Moreover, PUUV infection might affect host fitness, because seropositive individuals survived better from spring to summer than uninfected bank voles. Individual space use was independent of PUUV infections.ConclusionsOur study provides robust estimations of relevant patterns and processes of the dynamics of PUUV and its rodent host in Central Europe, which are highly important for the future development of predictive models for human hantavirus infection risk.

Heterogeneous Puumala orthohantavirus situation in endemic regions in Germany in summer 2019

“…However, in other regions in the north-west and in central Germany PUUV RNA detection rate was low and did not reach prevalence values reported for previous outbreaks of PUUV in Germany (Reil et al, 2017). Although the relationship between abundance and RNA detection rate/seroprevalence varies seasonally and demographically (Reil et al, 2017), it is highly likely that some combination of bank vole abundance and RNA detection rate is an important risk factor for human PUUV infection. The snap-shot data from a limited selection of districts makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions in this regard, but earlier reports support this assumption (Drewes, Turni, et al, 2017).…”

“…Osnabrück in spring of previous outbreak years was 86% (2010) and 75% (2012) (Weber de Melo et al, 2015). However, in other regions in the north-west and in central Germany PUUV RNA detection rate was low and did not reach prevalence values reported for previous outbreaks of PUUV in Germany (Reil et al, 2017). Although the relationship between abundance and RNA detection rate/seroprevalence varies seasonally and demographically (Reil et al, 2017), it is highly likely that some combination of bank vole abundance and RNA detection rate is an important risk factor for human PUUV infection.…”

“…Data are reported as individuals per 100 trap nights (TN) to adjust for variation in trap success. Sites were selected because they are situated in or close to known endemic regions (see Drewes, Turni, et al, 2017;Ettinger et al, 2012;Faber et al, 2013;Reil et al, 2017;Weber de Melo et al, 2015).…”

“…Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) is the most relevant hantavirus in Europe: It causes the majority of human hantavirus disease cases in Europe and is distributed in several parts of the continent. The number of human cases in Fennoscandia, Belgium, France and Germany oscillates among outbreak and non‐outbreak years (Ettinger et al, ; Heyman, Ceianu, Christova, Tordo, & Vaheri, ; Olsson, Leirs, & Henttonen, ; Reil, Imholt, Eccard, & Jacob, ; Reil et al, ). Human PUUV infections lead to a mild to moderate course of symptoms called nephropathia epidemica (NE) characterized by an acute onset of high fever, headache, myalgias, gastrointestinal symptoms and thrombocytopenia (Latus et al, ).…”

Synanthropic rodents as virus reservoirs and transmitters

“…The most commonly detected viral agent of this group in Western Europe, Puumala virus (PUUV), is disseminated by Myodes glareolus, whose proliferation is favored by the underbrush vegetation of this region, and the spread of the virus is further affected by virus-host coevolution 68 . In humans, it causes moderate nephropathy, and can lead to subclinical infections 69 .…”