SEROEPIDEMIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF LYMPHOCYTIC CHORIOMENINGITIS VIRUS IN WILD HOUSE MICE IN CHINA WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THEIR SUBSPECIES

Serum samples from 337 wild house mice (Mus musculus) from 35 sites in China, collected in 1992 and 1993, were examined for antibodies again st lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Ten samples from eight s ites were found to contain such antibodies. Six of the eight positive sites were located in the territory of M. m. gansuensis. One of the ot her two sites was located in the territory of M. m. castaneus in south ern China and the other site was in a habitat of M. m. castaneus which had invaded into the western end of the territory of M. m. homourus. It seems likely that LCMV is distributed in the territories of M. m. g ansuensis and M. m. castaneus in China. This is the first report of de tection of these antibodies in wild house mice in China and specifical ly in the territories of M. m. gansuensis and M. m. castaneus.