Changes in host densities and co-feeding pattern efficiently predict tick-borne encephalitis hazard in an endemic focus in northern Italy
| Autor: | Fausta Rosso, Annapaola Rizzoli, Mattia Manica, Heikki Henttonen, Heidi C. Hauffe, Roberto Rosà, Daniele Arnoldi, Chiara Rossi, Valentina Tagliapietra |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Male
0301 basic medicine Endemic Diseases Ixodes ricinus Antibodies Viral Mice 0302 clinical medicine Seroepidemiologic Studies Zoonoses Longitudinal Studies Tick-borne disease education.field_of_study biology Incidence 3. Good health Roe deer Tick-borne encephalitis virus Infectious Diseases Italy Apodemus Capreolus capreolus Female TBE hazard Encephalitis Tick-Borne 030231 tropical medicine Population Zoology Autumnal cooling Tick Encephalitis Viruses Tick-Borne 03 medical and health sciences biology.animal medicine Animals Humans Settore VET/06 - PARASSITOLOGIA E MALATTIE PARASSITARIE DEGLI ANIMALI education Models Statistical Ixodes Deer Tick-borne encephalitis biology.organism_classification medicine.disease Tick borne encephalitis 030104 developmental biology Apodemus flavicollis Arachnid Vectors Parasitology Murinae Rodent density |
| Popis: | 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. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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