Roe deer as sentinels for endemicity of tick-borne encephalitis virus

Gerth, H. J.; Grimshandl, D.; Stage, B.; Döller, G; Künz, Christian

doi:10.1017/s0950268800058477

Cited by 49 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Thus, rodents could be used as sentinels to detect TBEV by testing anti-TBEV antibodies in areas suspected to be endemic for TBE. Other animals such as roe deer and dogs were used as sentinels to detect TBEV areas (Gerth et al 1995, Lindhe et al 2009). However, small mammals are more appropriate because of their low home range allowing a more precise localization of a TBEV focus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serological Evidence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in Rodents Captured at Four Sites in Switzerland

et al. 2012

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In a previous study, the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in questing Ixodes ricinus L. ticks and in Þeld derived ticks that engorged on small mammals (n ϭ 9,986) was investigated at four sites located in a TBE area in Switzerland. Two of these sites were already recognized as TBE foci (Thun and Belp) and the screening of ticks revealed the presence of TBEV in ticks at a third site, Kiesen, but not at the fourth one, Trimstein. The aim here was to test another approach to detect TBE endemic areas. Sera from 333 small mammals (Apodemus flavicollis, A. sylvaticus, Myodes glareolus) captured in 2006 and 2007 at the four sites were examined for the presence of antibodies against TBEV using immunoßuorescence and avidity tests. Overall the prevalence of antibodies against TBEV in rodents reached 3.6% (12/333). At two sites known as TBE foci, Thun and Belp, anti-TBEV antibodies were detected in 9.9% (9/91) and 1.6% (1/63) of rodent sera, respectively. At the third site, Kiesen, recently identiÞed as a TBE focus by the detection of TBEV in ticks, anti-TBEV antibodies were detected in 1.8% (2/113) of rodent sera. Finally, at Trimstein, none of the examined rodent sera had antibodies against TBEV (0/66). This study shows another approach to detect TBE foci by testing antibodies in small mammal sera that is less time-consuming and less expensive than molecular tools.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serological Evidence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Infection in Rodents Captured at Four Sites in Switzerland

et al. 2012

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“…Due to their abundance and accessibility for questing ticks, roe deer constitute an important vector for ticks and human tick borne diseases, to the point that they are used as sentinels for endemicity of tick-borne encephalitis virus (Gerth et al 1995) and to denounce the presence of Borrelia (Rijpkema et al 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tick infestation (Acari: Ixodidae) in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from northwestern Spain: population dynamics and risk stratification

et al. 2010

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During the 2007 and 2008 hunting seasons (April-October) the skin of 367 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.), hunted in different preserves from Galicia (Northwestern Spain), were examined for ticks (Acari: Ixodidae). The overall prevalence of infestation by ticks was 83.1%. The predominant species was Ixodes ricinus (83.1%), whereas a single Dermacentor marginatus specimen appeared in one roe deer. All developmental stages of I. ricinus were found parasitizing roe deer, the adults being the most frequent (82.2%), followed by nymphs (45.6%) and larvae (27.2%). The mean intensity of infestation by I. ricinus was 43.2 ± 49.85; most of them were adults (30.7 ± 31.64) and in a lesser extend nymphs (16.9 ± 24.74) and larvae (10.7 ± 29.90). Ixodes ricinus was present all over the study with percentages that oscillated between 100% in spring and 57.4% in autumn. CHAID algorithm showed the sex of roe deer as the most influential factor in tick prevalence, followed by the climatic area. The different developmental stages of I. ricinus were more frequent in males than in females, and the prevalence of adults and larvae were higher in roe deer from coastal areas than in those from mountainous and central areas, whereas nymphs were more frequent in mountainous areas. Host age and density were not determinants for tick infestation. Our results confirm that roe deer are important hosts for I. ricinus in northwestern Spain, serving as a vehicle for the geographic distribution of these ticks.

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“…TBEV is transmitted through bites of infected ticks to many animals, including deer, which serve as feeding hosts for ticks ( 2 , 3 ). Expansion of TBEV subtypes has been reported ( 4 ).…”

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confidence: 99%