Hantavirus Infections in Host Populations of Yellow-Necked and Field Mice (Rodentia: Muridae) in South Bulgaria

摘要

The wood and field mice of the genus Apodemus are natural reservoirs of hantaviruses: Dobrava, Puumala and Saarema virus types. In the last few years, cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome were reported from different regions in Bulgaria, but the factors, influencing hantavirus transmission within host populations have not been well investigated. Sensitive molecular genetic methods (real time PCR) for detection of hantaviruses in wood and field mice, captured in endemic for the virus region in Southern Bulgaria, were used. Dobrava virus type (DOBV) was genetically determined in two Apodemus species: Apodemusflavicollis (Melchior, 1834) and Apodemus agrarius (Pallas, 1771). The overall DOBV prevalence was 7.7% for A. flavicollis and 1.43% for A. agrarius. A number of factors, influencing the association of DOBV infections in yellow-necked wood and field mice, were evaluated. The logistic regression model showed four factors in the model outcome: species, age, gender and reproductive status. This analysis highlights the importance of population demography in the successful circulation of hantaviruses. The overwintered reproductively active males of yellow-necked mice appear critical to the success of DOBV circulation and persistence within host populations in South Bulgaria.