Endemic Hantavirus in Field Voles, Northern England

Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 Jun;23(6):1033-1035. doi: 10.3201/eid2306.161607.

Abstract

We report a PCR survey of hantavirus infection in an extensive field vole (Microtus agrestis) population present in the Kielder Forest, northern England. A Tatenale virus-like lineage was frequently detected (≈17% prevalence) in liver tissue. Lineages genetically similar to Tatenale virus are likely to be endemic in northern England.

Keywords: England; Microtus; Microtus agrestis; Tatenale virus; United Kingdom; field vole; hantavirus; viruses; zoonoses.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood*
  • Arvicolinae
  • England / epidemiology
  • Hantavirus Infections / epidemiology
  • Hantavirus Infections / transmission
  • Hantavirus Infections / veterinary*
  • Hantavirus Infections / virology
  • Liver / virology
  • Orthohantavirus / classification
  • Orthohantavirus / genetics*
  • Orthohantavirus / immunology
  • Orthohantavirus / isolation & purification
  • Phylogeny
  • Prevalence
  • RNA, Viral / genetics*
  • Rodent Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Rodent Diseases / transmission
  • Rodent Diseases / virology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Viral
  • RNA, Viral