1
|
Brackney DE, Vogels CBF. The known unknowns of Powassan virus ecology. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 60:1142-1148. [PMID: 37862099 PMCID: PMC10645372 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjad095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Powassan virus (POWV; Family: Flaviviridae, Genus: Flavivirus) is the sole North American member of the tick-borne encephalitis sero-complex. While associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, POWV has historically been of little public health concern due to low incidence rates. However, over the last 20 yr, incidence rates have increased highlighting the growing epidemiological threat. Currently, there are no vaccines or therapeutics with tick habitat reduction, acaricide application, and public awareness programs being our primary means of intervention. The effectiveness of these control strategies is dependent on having a sound understanding of the virus's ecology. In this Forum, we review what is currently known about POWV ecology, identify gaps in our knowledge, and discuss prevailing and alternative hypotheses about transmission dynamics, reservoir hosts, and spatial focality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Doug E Brackney
- Department of Entomology, Center for Vector Biology and Zoonotic Diseases, The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Chantal B F Vogels
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Brandenburg PJ, Obiegala A, Schmuck HM, Dobler G, Chitimia-Dobler L, Pfeffer M. Seroprevalence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) Virus Antibodies in Wild Rodents from Two Natural TBE Foci in Bavaria, Germany. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020185. [PMID: 36839457 PMCID: PMC9962257 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is Eurasia's most important tick-borne viral disease. Rodents play an important role as natural hosts. Longitudinal studies on the dynamics of the seroprevalence rates in wild rodents in natural foci over the year are rare, and the dynamics of the transmission cycle still need to be understood. To better understand the infection dynamics, rodents were captured in a capture-mark-release-recapture-study in two natural foci in Bavaria, Germany, monthly from March 2019 to October 2022. Overall, 651 blood and thoracic lavage samples from 478 different wild rodents (Clethrionomys glareolus and Apodemus flavicollis) were analyzed for antibodies against tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIFA) and confirmed using a serum neutralization test (SNT). Furthermore, a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) analysis was performed to investigate ecological and individual factors for the probability of infection in rodents. Clethrionomys glareolus (19.4%) had a higher seroprevalence than A. flavicollis (10.5%). Within Cl. glareolus, more males (40.4%) than females (15.6%) were affected, and more adults (25.4%) than juveniles (9.8%). The probability of infection of rodents rather depends on factors such as species, sex, and age than on the study site of a natural focus, year, and season. The high incidence rates of rodents, particularly male adult bank voles, highlight their critical role in the transmission cycle of TBEV in a natural focus and demonstrate that serologically positive rodents can be reliably detected in a natural focus regardless of season or year. In addition, these data contribute to a better understanding of the TBEV cycle and thus could improve preventive strategies for human infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Johannes Brandenburg
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-341-97-38150
| | - Anna Obiegala
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hannah Maureen Schmuck
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- National Consulting Laboratory for TBE, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstrasse 11, 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - Lidia Chitimia-Dobler
- National Consulting Laboratory for TBE, Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Neuherbergstrasse 11, 80937 Munich, Germany
| | - Martin Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, An den Tierkliniken 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hubálek Z. History of Arbovirus Research in the Czech Republic. Viruses 2021; 13:2334. [PMID: 34835140 PMCID: PMC8622538 DOI: 10.3390/v13112334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this review is to follow the history of studies on endemiv arboviruses and the diseases they cause which were detected in the Czech lands (Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia (i.e., the Czech Republic)). The viruses involve tick-borne encephalitis, West Nile and Usutu flaviviruses; the Sindbis alphavirus; Ťahyňa, Batai, Lednice and Sedlec bunyaviruses; the Uukuniemi phlebovirus; and the Tribeč orbivirus. Arboviruses temporarily imported from abroad to the Czech Republic have been omitted. This brief historical review includes a bibliography of all relevant papers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zdenek Hubálek
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Květná 8, 60365 Brno, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Hassett EM, Thangamani S. Ecology of Powassan Virus in the United States. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9112317. [PMID: 34835443 PMCID: PMC8624383 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9112317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Zoonotic viruses threaten the lives of millions of people annually, exacerbated by climate change, human encroachment into wildlife habitats, and habitat destruction. The Powassan virus (POWV) is a rare tick-borne virus that can cause severe neurological damage and death, and the incidence of the associated disease (Powassan virus disease) is increasing in the eastern United States. The mechanisms by which POWV is maintained in nature and transmitted to humans are complex and only partly understood. This review provides an overview of what is known about the vector species, vector-host transmission dynamics, and environmental and human-driven factors that may be aiding the spread of both the vector and virus.
Collapse
|
5
|
Seroprevalence of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in Three Species of Voles ( Microtus spp.) in Poland. J Wildl Dis 2019; 56:492-494. [PMID: 31880991 DOI: 10.7589/2019-02-048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Rodents play a role as reservoir hosts for tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). We trapped 77 voles of the genus Microtus and tested their blood using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the presence of antibodies against TBEV. We detected TBEV antibodies in three adult individuals (4%). Voles might play a role in the circulation of TBEV.
Collapse
|
6
|
Michelitsch A, Wernike K, Klaus C, Dobler G, Beer M. Exploring the Reservoir Hosts of Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus. Viruses 2019; 11:E669. [PMID: 31336624 PMCID: PMC6669706 DOI: 10.3390/v11070669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is an important arbovirus, which is found across large parts of Eurasia and is considered to be a major health risk for humans. Like any other arbovirus, TBEV relies on complex interactions between vectors, reservoir hosts, and the environment for successful virus circulation. Hard ticks are the vectors for TBEV, transmitting the virus to a variety of animals. The importance of these animals in the lifecycle of TBEV is still up for debate. Large woodland animals seem to have a positive influence on virus circulation by providing a food source for adult ticks; birds are suspected to play a role in virus distribution. Bank voles and yellow-necked mice are often referred to as classical virus reservoirs, but this statement lacks strong evidence supporting their highlighted role. Other small mammals (e.g., insectivores) may also play a crucial role in virus transmission, not to mention the absence of any suspected reservoir host for non-European endemic regions. Theories highlighting the importance of the co-feeding transmission route go as far as naming ticks themselves as the true reservoir for TBEV, and mammalian hosts as a mere bridge for transmission. A deeper insight into the virus reservoir could lead to a better understanding of the development of endemic regions. The spatial distribution of TBEV is constricted to certain areas, forming natural foci that can be restricted to sizes of merely 500 square meters. The limiting factors for their occurrence are largely unknown, but a possible influence of reservoir hosts on the distribution pattern of TBE is discussed. This review aims to give an overview of the multiple factors influencing the TBEV transmission cycle, focusing on the role of virus reservoirs, and highlights the questions that are waiting to be further explored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Michelitsch
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Kerstin Wernike
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | - Christine Klaus
- Institute for Bacterial Infections and Zoonoses, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Naumburger Str. 96a, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Gerhard Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, German Center of Infection Research (DZIF) partner site Munich, Neuherbergstraße 11, 80937 München, Germany
| | - Martin Beer
- Institute of Diagnostic Virology, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mlera L, Bloom ME. The Role of Mammalian Reservoir Hosts in Tick-Borne Flavivirus Biology. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2018; 8:298. [PMID: 30234026 PMCID: PMC6127651 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2018.00298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Small-to-medium sized mammals and large animals are lucrative sources of blood meals for ixodid ticks that transmit life-threatening tick-borne flaviviruses (TBFVs). TBFVs have been isolated from various organs obtained from wild-caught Myodes and Apodemus species in Europe and Asia. Thus, these rodents are well-established reservoirs of TBFVs. Wild-caught Peromyscus species have demonstrated seropositivity against Powassan virus, the only TBFV known to circulate in North America, suggesting that they may play an important role in the biology of the virus in this geographic region. However, virus isolation from Peromyscus species is yet to be demonstrated. Wild-caught medium-sized mammals, such as woodchucks (Marmota monax) and skunks (Mephitis mephitis) have also demonstrated seropositivity against POWV, and virus was isolated from apparently healthy animals. Despite the well-established knowledge that small-to-medium sized animals are TBFV reservoirs, specific molecular biology addressing host-pathogen interactions remains poorly understood. Elucidating these interactions will be critical for gaining insight into the mechanism(s) of viral pathogenesis and/or resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luwanika Mlera
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Marshall E Bloom
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Hamilton, MT, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Grzybek M, Alsarraf M, Tołkacz K, Behnke-Borowczyk J, Biernat B, Stańczak J, Strachecka A, Guz L, Szczepaniak K, Paleolog J, Behnke JM, Bajer A. Seroprevalence of TBEV in bank voles from Poland-a long-term approach. Emerg Microbes Infect 2018; 7:145. [PMID: 30108201 PMCID: PMC6092418 DOI: 10.1038/s41426-018-0149-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Grzybek
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | | | | | | | - Beata Biernat
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Joanna Stańczak
- Department of Tropical Parasitology, Medical University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Aneta Strachecka
- Department of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Leszek Guz
- Department of Biology and Fish Disease, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Klaudiusz Szczepaniak
- Department of Parasitology and Invasive Diseases, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jerzy Paleolog
- Department of Zoology, Animal Ecology & Wildlife Management, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Jerzy M Behnke
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Anna Bajer
- Department of Parasitology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zöldi V, Papp T, Reiczigel J, Egyed L. Bank voles show high seropositivity rates in a natural TBEV focus in Hungary. Infect Dis (Lond) 2014; 47:178-81. [DOI: 10.3109/00365548.2014.975743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
10
|
Knap N, Korva M, Dolinšek V, Sekirnik M, Trilar T, Avšič-Županc T. Patterns of tick-borne encephalitis virus infection in rodents in Slovenia. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis 2011; 12:236-42. [PMID: 22022821 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2011.0728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the most important causative agent of arboviral infection in Europe, causing neurologic symptoms. The incidence of the disease has greatly increased over the past decades, and in the meantime, some changes in spatial distribution of TBE cases have been observed. Therefore, it is important to recognize the distribution of endemic areas, to use preventive measures successfully. In this study, rodents from all over Slovenia were evaluated as suitable sentinels for TBEV distribution. Rodents from four species (Myodes glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus sylvaticus, and Apodemus agrarius) were screened for the presence of TBEV antibodies with immunofluorescence assay; the antibodies were detected in 5.9% of sera. The prevalence of infection varied according to the rodent species and according to the region of trapping. Select rodents were also screened for the presence of TBEV RNA in several organs. Both analyses showed higher rate of infection in bank voles, which also produced higher titers of anti-TBEV antibodies and a higher TBEV RNA viral load compared with mice. The regional prevalence of infection in rodents can be correlated with the incidence of disease. Molecular results indicate that the virus can be detected in the organs of the rodents for longer periods, indicating prolonged infections of the rodent hosts by the virus. Rodents can therefore be used as a useful indicator of the circulation of TBEV in an area.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nataša Knap
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
11
|
Weidmann M, Růžek D, Křivanec K, Zöller G, Essbauer S, Pfeffer M, Zanotto PMDA, Hufert FT, Dobler G. Relation of genetic phylogeny and geographical distance of tick-borne encephalitis virus in central Europe. J Gen Virol 2011; 92:1906-1916. [PMID: 21593276 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.032417-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is the most important arboviral agent causing disease of the central nervous system in central Europe. In this study, 61 TBEV E gene sequences derived from 48 isolates from the Czech Republic, and four isolates and nine TBEV strains detected in ticks from Germany, covering more than half a century from 1954 to 2009, were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic and Bayesian phylodynamic analysis to determine the phylogeography of TBEV in central Europe. The general Eurasian continental east-to-west pattern of the spread of TBEV was confirmed at the regional level but is interlaced with spreading that arises because of local geography and anthropogenic influence. This spread is reflected by the disease pattern in the Czech Republic that has been observed since 1991. The overall evolutionary rate was estimated to be approximately 8×10(-4) substitutions per nucleotide per year. The analysis of the TBEV E genes of 11 strains isolated at one natural focus in žďár Kaplice proved for the first time that TBEV is indeed subject to local evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Weidmann
- Department of Virology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany
| | - D Růžek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - K Křivanec
- Central Military Institute of Health, Army Forces of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - G Zöller
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - S Essbauer
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| | - M Pfeffer
- Institute of Animal Hygiene and Veterinary Public Health, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - P M de A Zanotto
- Department of Microbiology, University of São Paulo, Biomedical Sciences Institute - ICB II, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - F T Hufert
- Department of Virology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany
| | - G Dobler
- Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology, Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Prevalence of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks collected from the Lublin region (eastern Poland). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2011; 2:16-9. [PMID: 21771532 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2010.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2010] [Revised: 10/04/2010] [Accepted: 10/04/2010] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
A total of 875 nymphal and adult Ixodes ricinus ticks and 148 adult Dermacentor reticulatus ticks were collected by flagging lower vegetation in the Lublin region (eastern Poland) and examined for the presence of RNA of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) by nested RT-PCR. The minimum infection rate of I. ricinus ticks with TBEV amounted to 1.6% while the infection rate of D. reticulatus ticks was 10.8%. The results suggest that D. reticulatus may be a potential vector of TBEV in Central Europe.
Collapse
|
13
|
Meerburg BG, Singleton GR, Kijlstra A. Rodent-borne diseases and their risks for public health. Crit Rev Microbiol 2009; 35:221-70. [DOI: 10.1080/10408410902989837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 455] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
14
|
|