A longitudinal study of an endemic disease in its wildlife reservoir: cowpox and wild rodents

Hazel, SM, Bennett, M, Chantrey, J ORCID: 0000-0002-4801-7034, Bown, K, Cavanagh, R, Jones, TR, Baxby, D and Begon, M ORCID: 0000-0003-1715-5327 (2000) A longitudinal study of an endemic disease in its wildlife reservoir: cowpox and wild rodents. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND INFECTION, 124 (3). pp. 551-562.

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Abstract

Cowpox is an orthopoxvirus infection endemic in European wild rodents, but with a wide host range including human beings. In this longitudinal study we examined cowpox in two wild rodent species, bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus and wood mice Apodemus sylvaticus, to investigate the dynamics of a virus in its wild reservoir host. Trapping was carried out at 4-weekly intervals over 3 years and each animal caught was uniquely identified, blood sampled and tested for antibodies to cowpox. Antibody prevalence was higher in bank voles than in wood mice and seroconversion varied seasonally, with peaks in autumn. Infection was most common in males of both species but no clear association with age was demonstrated. This study provides a model for studying other zoonotic infections that derive from wild mammals since other approaches, such as one-off samples, will fail to detect the variation in infection and thus, risk to human health, demonstrated here.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	## TULIP Type: Articles/Papers (Journal) ## official_url: <Go to ISI>://000089037700024
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Animals, Animals, Wild, Mice, Cowpox, Antibodies, Viral, Longitudinal Studies, Seroepidemiologic Studies, Seasons, Disease Reservoirs, Sex Factors, Europe, Arvicolinae, Female, Male
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	11 Apr 2016 10:09
Last Modified:	16 Dec 2022 10:24
DOI:	10.1017/S0950268899003799
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3000396