4.5 Article

Changes in host densities and co-feeding pattern efficiently predict tick-borne encephalitis hazard in an endemic focus in northern Italy

期刊

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
卷 49, 期 10, 页码 779-787

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ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2019.05.006

关键词

Tick-borne encephalitis; Ixodes ricinus; Apodemus flavicollis; Capreolus capreolus; Rodent density; Autumnal cooling; TBE hazard

资金

  1. EDENext (European Union) [FP7-261504]

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Tick-borne encephalitis is an important zoonosis in many parts of north-western, central and eastern Europe, Russia and the Far East, with considerable altitudinal and latitudinal shifts described during recent decades. The reported routes of transmission for TBE virus include the saliva-activated non-viraemic transmission between co-feeding ticks taking place on rodent hosts. During the period 2001-2014, a population of the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis), which is considered among the most efficient TBE competent host, especially in central and western Europe, was intensively live trapped in a known TBE focus in the Province of Trento, Italy. Individual live-trapped mice were checked for the number and position of feeding ticks and serologically screened for TBEv antibodies. A combined effect of climatic conditions and density of both roe deer and mice on the number of co-feeding tick groups was observed. Specifically, the occurrence of co-feeding ticks on mice during the questing season was affected by autumnal cooling in the previous season. On the other hand, co-feeding occurrence was also positively associated with roe deer abundance, while mouse density showed a hump-shaped pattern. Individual features of A. flavicollis such as weight and sex also affected co-feeding occurrence with the heaviest (breeding adult) males carrying more co-feeding ticks. We also found that the overall number of co-feeding ticks on mice positively affected TBEv antibody detection in this species the following year. In conclusion, a specific combination of climatic conditions in conjunction with certain rodent and roe deer densities are the principal determinants of the number of co-feeding ticks on A. flavicollis and, consequently, TBEv circulation. These variables can be used to provide an early warning signal for a TBE hazard, thus representing a useful tool for Public Health authorities to prepare action for prevention and control within TBEv circulation areas. (C) 2019 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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