Ixodid and Argasid Tick Species and West Nile Virus

Lawrie, Charles Henderson; Uzcátegui, Nathalie Yumari; Gould, Ernest Andrew; Nuttall, Patricia Anne. 2004 Ixodid and Argasid Tick Species and West Nile Virus. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 10. 653-657. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1004.030517

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract/Summary

Control of West Nile virus (WNV) can only be effective if the vectors and reservoirs of the virus are identified and controlled. Although mosquitoes are the primary vectors, WNV has repeatedly been isolated from ticks. Therefore tick-borne transmission studies were performed with an ixodid (Ixodes ricinus) and an argasid tick species (Ornithodoros moubata). Both species became infected after feeding upon viremic hosts, but I. ricinus ticks were unable to maintain the virus. In contrast, O. moubata ticks were infected for at least 132 days, and the infection was maintained through molting and a second bloodmeal. Infected O. moubata ticks transmitted the virus to rodent hosts, albeit at a low level. Moreover, the virus was nonsystemically transmitted between infected and uninfected O. moubata ticks co-fed upon uninfected hosts. Although ticks are unlikely to play a major role in WNV transmission, our findings suggest that some species have the potential to act as reservoirs for the virus.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1004.030517
Programmes:	CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biodiversity
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Directors, SCs _ Molecular Virology & Parasitology
ISSN:	1080-6059
NORA Subject Terms:	Biology and Microbiology
Date made live:	12 Dec 2012 11:48 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/20006

Actions (login required)

View Item

Document Downloads

More statistics for this item...