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A minority of seropositive wild bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) show evidence of current Puumala virus infection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 1998

O. A. ALEXEYEV ,
C. AHLM ,
F. ELGH ,
B. AAVA ,
T. PALO ,
B. SETTERGREN ,
A. TÄRNVIK ,
G. WADELL  and
P. JUTO
O. A. ALEXEYEV
Affiliation:
Department of Virology, Umeå University, S-90 185 Umeå, Sweden Department of Infectious Diseases, Samara State Medical University, 443099 Samara, Russia
C. AHLM
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Umeå University, S-90 185 Umeå, Sweden Department of Microbiology, Division of NBC Defence, Defence Research Establishment, S-901 82 Umeå, Sweden
F. ELGH
Affiliation:
Department of Virology, Umeå University, S-90 185 Umeå, Sweden
B. AAVA
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Ecology, Swedish University for Agricultural Sciences, S-90 183 Umeå, Sweden
T. PALO
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Ecology, Swedish University for Agricultural Sciences, S-90 183 Umeå, Sweden
B. SETTERGREN
Affiliation:
Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Danderyd Hospital, S-18 288 Stockholm, Sweden
A. TÄRNVIK
Affiliation:
Department of Infectious Diseases, Umeå University, S-90 185 Umeå, Sweden
G. WADELL
Affiliation:
Department of Virology, Umeå University, S-90 185 Umeå, Sweden
P. JUTO
Affiliation:
Department of Virology, Umeå University, S-90 185 Umeå, Sweden
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Abstract

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Bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) serve as the reservoir for Puumala (PUU) virus, the aetiologic agent of nephropathia epidemica. The animals are believed to be persistently infected and the occurrence of serum antibodies is usually taken as an evidence of active infection. We found serum antibodies to PUU virus in 42 of 299 wild bank voles captured in a PUU virus endemic area. PUU virus RNA was demonstrated in lung specimens of 11 of these 42 animals and in 2 of them antigen was also found. Thus in the lungs of 31 of 42 seropositive animals neither PUU virus RNA nor antigen was detected. In 2 of 257 seronegative animals, lung specimens showed presence of PUU virus antigen and RNA. Isolation of PUU virus from lung tissue was successful in all 4 antigen-positive bank voles but in none of 16 tested antigen-negative animals. In conclusion, only a minority of bank voles with serum antibodies to PUU virus showed evidence of current infection.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 121 , Issue 2 , October 1998 , pp. 419 - 425
Copyright
© 1998 Cambridge University Press