Emerging Infectious Diseases (Jan 2011)

Tick-borne Encephalitis Virus in Wild Rodents in Winter, Finland, 2008–2009

  • Elina Tonteri,
  • Anu E. Jääskeläinen,
  • Tapani Tikkakoski,
  • Liina Voutilainen,
  • Jukka Niemimaa,
  • Heikki Henttonen,
  • Antti Vaheri,
  • Olli Vapalahti

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1701.100051
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 17, no. 1
pp. 72 – 75

Abstract

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Rodents might maintain tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) in nature through latent persistent infections. During 2 subsequent winters, 2008 and 2009, in Finland, we detected RNA of European and Siberian subtypes of TBEV in Microtus agrestis and Myodes glareolus voles, respectively. Persistence in rodent reservoirs may contribute to virus overwintering.

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