Incrimination of shrews as a reservoir for Powassan virus.
Commun Biol
; 4(1): 1319, 2021 11 22.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-34811484
ABSTRACT
Powassan virus lineage 2 (deer tick virus) is an emergent threat to American public health, causing severe neurologic disease. Its life cycle in nature remains poorly understood. We use a host-specific retrotransposon-targeted real time PCR assay to test the hypothesis that white-footed mice, considered the main eastern U.S. reservoir of the coinfecting agent of Lyme disease, is the reservoir for deer tick virus. Of 20 virus-infected host-seeking nymphal black-legged ticks 65% fed on shrews and none on mice. The proportion of ticks feeding on shrews at a site is positively associated with prevalence of viral infection, but not the Lyme disease agent. Viral RNA is detected in the brain of one shrew. We conclude that shrews are a likely reservoir host for deer tick virus and that host bloodmeal analysis can provide direct evidence to incriminate reservoir hosts, thereby promoting our understanding of the ecology of tick-borne infections.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Musaranhos
/
Reservatórios de Doenças
/
Encefalite Transmitida por Carrapatos
/
Vírus da Encefalite Transmitidos por Carrapatos
Tipo de estudo:
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Animals
País/Região como assunto:
America do norte
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Commun Biol
Ano de publicação:
2021
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos