Jd. Boone et al., ECOLOGY AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF HANTAVIRUS INFECTIONS IN RODENT POPULATIONS IN THE WALKER RIVER BASIN OF NEVADA AND CALIFORNIA, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 59(3), 1998, pp. 445-451
Citations number
20
Categorie Soggetti
Public, Environmental & Occupation Heath","Tropical Medicine
To study the ecologic correlates of hantavirus in deer mice (Peromyscu
s maniculatus), we sampled 114 sites in the Walker River Basin of Neva
da and California in 1995-1996. Blood samples were tested for antibody
to hantavirus, and a subset of samples was also tested for virus RNA
by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Average prevalence
of antibody-positive mice was 17%, with heavier males the most Likely
to be infected. Antibody prevalence varied within repeatedly sampled
sites from 0% to 50% over the course of several months, suggesting pos
sible infection cycles. Although there was no linear correlation betwe
en deer mouse density and antibody prevalence on sample sites, more co
mplex relationships between density and prevalence appeared likely. Sp
ecifically, infections were less likely where rodent densities were lo
wer than a critical threshold value. However, above this value, densit
y had no effect on prevalence.