Seroprevalence of TBEV in bank voles from Poland—a long-term approach

Maciej Grzybek,Mohammed Alsarraf,Katarzyna Tołkacz,Jolanta Behnke-Borowczyk,Beata Biernat,Joanna Stańczak,Aneta Strachecka,Leszek Guz,Klaudiusz Szczepaniak,Jerzy Paleolog,Jerzy M Behnke,Anna Bajer

doi:10.1038/s41426-018-0149-3

Abstract

Rodents are known to play a significant role as reservoir hosts for TBEV. During three sequential expeditions at 4-year intervals to three ecologically similar study sites in NE Poland, we trapped bank voles (Myodes glareolus) and then tested their blood for the presence of specific antiviral antibodies to TBEV. The strongest effects on seroprevalence were the extrinsic factors, site of capture of voles and year of sampling. Seroprevalence increased markedly with increasing host age, and our analysis revealed significant interactions among these three factors. Seroprevalence did not differ between the sexes. Therefore, based on the seroprevalence results, the dynamics of TBEV infection differ significantly in time, between local sub-populations of bank voles and with increasing host age. To fully understand the circulation of the virus among these reservoir hosts and in the environment, long-term monitoring is required and should employ a multi-site approach, such as the one adopted in the current study.

Highlights

IntroductionThe tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), is a zoonotic flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae that is endemic throughout the northern Palearctic, spanning an area from central and northern Europe and across Siberia to Japan in the far east[3]
Rodents, members of the most abundant and diversified mammalian order Rodentia[1], can pose a significant threat to the health of humans, livestock, and wildlife because they are hosts for a wide range of pathogens and in some cases constitute important reservoir hosts for lifethreatening zoonoses[2].The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), is a zoonotic flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae that is endemic throughout the northern Palearctic, spanning an area from central and northern Europe and across Siberia to Japan in the far east[3]
The site or location of sampling had a significant effect (SITE × PRESENCE/ABSENCE of TBEV antibodies; χ22 = 36.2; P < 0.001), with the overall highest seroprevalence rate recorded among bank voles from Pilchy (28.1% [20.2–37.5])

Summary

Introduction

The tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), the causative agent of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), is a zoonotic flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae that is endemic throughout the northern Palearctic, spanning an area from central and northern Europe and across Siberia to Japan in the far east[3]. The most important vector in Central Europe is Ixodes ricinus[4,5], and small. TBEV is the most important causative agent of arboviral infections in Europe and is responsible for distressing neurologic symptoms in patients[4]. Incidence of the disease has greatly increased over the past decades, growing into a serious human threat, and changes in the spatial distribution of TBE cases have been concurrently observed[15,16]. It is essential to identify the endemic areas and to monitor the temporal changes of this virus in order to ensure that suitable preventive measures are implemented successfully by human

Methods

Results

Conclusion