Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T01:45:07.177Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

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

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

H.-J. Gerth ,
D. Grimshandl ,
B. Stage ,
G. Döller  and
C. Kunz
H.-J. Gerth
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, Institute of Hygiene, University of Tuebingen, Silcherstraβe 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
D. Grimshandl
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, Institute of Hygiene, University of Tuebingen, Silcherstraβe 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
B. Stage
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, Institute of Hygiene, University of Tuebingen, Silcherstraβe 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
G. Döller
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, Institute of Hygiene, University of Tuebingen, Silcherstraβe 7, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
C. Kunz
Affiliation:
Institute of Virology, University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The suitability of serological surveys of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in determining the spread of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was tested in a south German area with a low risk of TBEV infection to humans. Sera obtained from 192 hunted roe were screened by an haemagglutination–inhibition test (HAI) and in an ELISA developed in our laboratory. Those found positive were tested in a neutralization test (NT). Fifty (26·0%) sera reacted positive by ELISA and 43 (86·0%) of these were confirmed by HAI or NT. Forty-seven (24·5%) samples were positive by HAI, 44 (93·6%) of which were also positive in NT or ELISA. Only insignificant increase of the antibody prevalence with age (P = 0·17 for HAI antibodies) suggests that most infections occur at an early age in scattered natural foci. The antibody prevalence in females was lower than in males (OR = 0·63; P = 0·02 for HAI antibodies). In determining the distribution of seropositive roe we increased the sample size to 235 sera. No antibodies were detected in 56 (23·8%) sera collected in the eastern third of the county. The areas of high antibody prevalence in roe match those in which humans have been infected. We conclude that serosurveys of roe deer are useful in marking out areas in which humans face the risk of infection, provided that an adequate number of sera, preferably from males, is available.

Type
Research Article
Information
Epidemiology & Infection , Volume 115 , Issue 2 , October 1995 , pp. 355 - 365
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995

References

1.Kunz, C. Tick-borne encephalitis in Europe. Acta Leidensia 1992; 60: 1–14.Google ScholarPubMed
2.Roggendorf, M, Girgsdies, OE, Rosenkranz, G. Epidemiologie und Prophylaxe der Frühsommer-Meningoenzephalitis. Die Gelben Hefte 1994; 34: 74–80.Google Scholar
3.Asmera, J, Heinz, F. Delimitations of natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis in north-eastern Moravia. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 1972; 19: 263–72.Google ScholarPubMed
4.Körting, HJ. Problems of diagnosis and epidemiology of TBE. In: Kunz, C, ed. Tick-borne encephalitis. Wien: Facultas, 1981; 247–50.Google ScholarPubMed
5.Matile, H, Aeschlimann, A, Wyler, R. Seroepidemiologic investigations on the incidence of TBE in man and dog in Switzerland. In: Kunz, C, ed. Tick-borne encephalitis. Wien: Facultas, 1981; 227–34.Google ScholarPubMed
6.Nosek, J, Kožuch, O, Ernek, E, Lichard, M. Übertragung des Zeckenenzephalitis-Virus (TBE) durch die Weibchen von Ixodes ricinus und Nymphen von Haemophysalis inermis auf den Rehkitzen (Capreolus capreolus). Zbl Bakt I Orig 1967; 203: 162–6.Google Scholar
7.Radda, A, Hofmann, H, Kunz, C. Experimentelle Infektion einiger heimischer Säugerarten mit dem Frühsommer-Meningo-Enzephalitis (FSME)-Virus. Zbl Bakt I Orig 1968; 208: 100–4.Google Scholar
8.Radda, A, Kunz, C, Hofmann, H, Dippe, H. Nachweis von Antikörpern in Wildseren zur Erfassung von Herden des Virus der Frühsommer-Meningo-Enzephalitis (FSME) in Niederösterreich. Zbl Bakt Hyg A 1968; 208: 88–93.Google Scholar
9.Gfrörer, W, Ed. Der Kreis Tübingen (Heimat und Arbeit). Stuttgart: K. Theiss. 1988.Google Scholar
10.Clarke, DH, Casals, J. Techniques for hemagglutination and hemagglutination-inhibition with arthropod-borne viruses. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1958; 7: 561–73.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Shope, RE, Sather, GE. Arboviruses. In: Lennette, EH, Schmidt, NJ, eds. Diagnostic procedures for viral, rickettsial and chlamydial infections. 5th ed.Washington DC. USA: Am Publ Hlth Ass, 1979; 767–814.Google Scholar
12.Heinz, F, Kunz, C. Ein sensitives Gewebekultur-Antigen des Frühsommerenzephalitis-Virus zur Verwendung im Hämagglutinationshemmungstest. Arch Virol 1975; 48: 191–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Stage, B. Untersuchung an Rehseren aus dem Landkreis Tübingen auf Antikörper gegen Borrelia burgdorferi [Inaugural-Dissertation[. Tübingen. 1992.Google Scholar
14.Miller, TJ, Stone, HO. The rapid isolation of ribonuclease-free immunoglobulin by protein A-sepharose affinity chromatography. J Immunol Methods 1978; 24: 111–25.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Raesfeld, F v. Das Rehwild. Naturgeschichte, Hege und Jagd. Hamburg: Paul Parey, 1970.Google Scholar
16.Wellmer, H. Frühsommer-Meningo-Enzephalitis. Ihre Verbreitung in Baden-Württemberg. Z Allg Med 1979; 55: 1688–94.Google ScholarPubMed
17.Ackermann, R, Rhese-Küpper, B, Löser, R, Scheid, W. Neutralisierende Serumantikörper gegen das Virus der Zentraleuropäisehen Eiizephalitis bei der ländlichen Bevölkerung der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Dtsch Med Wschr 1968; 93: 1747–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Nosek, J, Kožuch, O, Mayer, V. Spatial distribution and stability of natural foci of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Central Europe. In: Jusatz, HJ. ed. Beiträge zur Geoökologie der Zentraleuropäisehen Zecken-Enzephalitis. Berlin: Springer. 1978; 60–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19. Tick-borne encephalitis and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Europe: Report on a WHO meeting. Baden, 3–5 October 1983. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe. 1986. EURO-Reports and Studies 104.Google Scholar