Gilbert L, Jones L D, Hudson P J, Gould E A, Reid H W
Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Stirling University, Stirling, UK.
Med Vet Entomol. 2000 Sep;14(3):277-82. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2915.2000.00236.x.
Louping-ill (LI) is a tick-borne viral disease of red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scoticus Lath. (Tetraonidae: Galliformes), and sheep, Ovis aries L. (Bovidae: Artiodactyla), that causes economic loss to upland farms and sporting estates. Unvaccinated sheep, grouse and mountain hares, Lepus timidus L. (Leporidae: Lagomorpha), are known to transmit LI virus, whereas red deer, Cenrus elaphus L. (Cervidae: Artiodactyla), and rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus L. (Leporidae: Lagomorpha), do not. However, the role of small mammals is unknown. Here, we determine the role of small mammals, in particular field voles, Microtus agrestis L. (Muridae: Rodentia), in the persistence of LI virus on upland farms and sporting estates in Scotland, using field sampling and non-viraemic transmission trials. Small mammals were not abundant on the upland sites studied, few ticks were found per animal and none of the caught animals tested seropositive to LI virus. Laboratory trials provided no evidence that small mammals (field voles, bank voles, Clethrionomys glareolus L. (Muridae: Rodentia), and wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus L. (Muridae: Rodentia), can transmit LI virus between cofeeding ticks and, in the field, LI virus was prevalent only in areas with known LI virus competent hosts (grouse, mountain hares or unvaccinated sheep) and absent elsewhere. In contrast to the case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus in Europe, it is concluded that small mammals seem to be relatively unimportant in LI virus persistence.
跳跃病（LI）是一种由蜱传播的病毒性疾病，可感染红松鸡（Lagopus lagopus scoticus Lath.，雉科：鸡形目）和绵羊（Ovis aries L.，牛科：偶蹄目），给高地农场和狩猎庄园造成经济损失。已知未接种疫苗的绵羊、松鸡和山地野兔（Lepus timidus L.，兔科：兔形目）可传播LI病毒，而马鹿（Cenrus elaphus L.，鹿科：偶蹄目）和兔子（Oryctolagus cuniculus L.，兔科：兔形目）则不会。然而，小型哺乳动物在其中的作用尚不清楚。在此，我们通过野外采样和非病毒血症传播试验，确定小型哺乳动物，特别是田鼠（Microtus agrestis L.，鼠科：啮齿目）在苏格兰高地农场和狩猎庄园LI病毒持续存在中的作用。在所研究的高地地区，小型哺乳动物数量并不丰富，每只动物身上发现的蜱很少，且捕获的动物中没有一只对LI病毒血清学检测呈阳性。实验室试验没有提供证据表明小型哺乳动物（田鼠、棕背鼠（Clethrionomys glareolus L.，鼠科：啮齿目）和林姬鼠（Apodemus sylvaticus L.，鼠科：啮齿目））能在共同取食的蜱之间传播LI病毒，而且在野外，LI病毒仅在已知有LI病毒易感宿主（松鸡、山地野兔或未接种疫苗的绵羊）的地区流行，其他地方则不存在。与欧洲蜱传脑炎（TBE）病毒的情况不同，得出的结论是小型哺乳动物在LI病毒持续存在中似乎相对不重要。
