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Evidence of hantavirus in wild rodents in Northern Ireland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

C. McCaughey ,
W. I. Montgomery ,
N. Twomey ,
M. Addley ,
H. J. O'Neill  and
P. V. Coyle
C. McCaughey
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Hospitals Trust, Grosvenor Road. Belfast BT12 6BN, UK
W. I. Montgomery
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, Medical Biology Centre, The Queen's University of Belfast. Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
N. Twomey
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, Medical Biology Centre, The Queen's University of Belfast. Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
M. Addley
Affiliation:
School of Biology and Biochemistry, Medical Biology Centre, The Queen's University of Belfast. Belfast BT9 7BL, UK
H. J. O'Neill
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Hospitals Trust, Grosvenor Road. Belfast BT12 6BN, UK
P. V. Coyle
Affiliation:
Regional Virus Laboratory, Royal Hospitals Trust, Grosvenor Road. Belfast BT12 6BN, UK
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A survey of evidence of rodent hantavirus infection in County Down, Northern Ireland was carried out by using immunofluorescence to detect virus antigen and antibody. Antibodies to hantavirus (R22 strain of Seoul virus and Hantaan 76–118) were found in 11/51 (21·6%) brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), 1/31 (3·2%) field mice (Apodemus sylvaticus) and 17/59 (28·8%) house mice (Mus domesticus). Seven rodents had evidence of hantavirus antigen in lung tissues. Antibody positive animals were significantly more likely to be adults than juveniles (P = 0·04) but and there was no sex difference between antibody positive and negative animals. House mice were more likely to be antibody positive if captured inside farm outbuildings (P = 0·08). Attempts to culture virus from the rodent material were unsuccessful. This work demonstrates a substantial rodent reservoir for hantavirus in Northern Ireland.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 117 , Issue 2 , October 1996 , pp. 361 - 366
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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