Author/Editor		Malovrh, Tomaž; Marc, Mateja
Title		Proučevanje naravnih gostiteljev virusa klopnega meningoencefalitisa v aktivnih in latentnih žariščih klopnega meningoencefalitisa v Sloveniji
Translated title		Examination of tick-borne encephalits virus natural reservoirs in active and latent tick-borne encephalitis foci in Slovenia
Type		članek
Source		Med Razgl
Vol. and No.		Letnik 36, št. 4
Publication year		1997
Volume		str. 465-78
Language		slo
Abstract		Tick-borne encephalitis is the most important human central nervous system virus infection in Europe. The virus is maintained in nature by a cycle involving reservoirs (small mammals, deer) and vector (ticks). Tick-borne encephalitis occurs in endemic areas, which vary in activity. The purpose of the study was to determine the species and frequency of tick-borne encephalitis infection among small mammales caught in Gornjanci and Tenetiše endemic areas. The enzyme immunoassay was used for demonstration of specific viral antibodies, and the polymerase chain reaction for direct detection of viral genome. Seroprevalence was 8,3%, while viral genome was detected in 45,9% of the tested animals. Our study confirmed that the demonstration of viral antibodies alone cannot provide an accurate information of the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis infection in small mammals. The yellow-necked mouse was found to be a primary reservoir of tick-borne encephalitis virus in Slovenia. No differenc ein infection rate was found between studied natural foci. Polymerase chain reaction, which was for the first time employed for the detection of tick-borne encephalitis in natural reservoirs, represents a convenient tool for determining tick-borne encephalitis natural foci.
Summary		Klopni meningoencefalitis je bolezen osrednjega živčevja, ki jo povzroča virus klopnega meningoencefalitisa. Le-ta se v naravi ohranja s kroženjem med gostitelji (mali sesalci,divjad) in klopi. Pojavljanje klopnega meningoencefalitisa je vezano na naravna žarišča, ki nihajo v aktivnosti. Naš namen je bil odkrivanje vrst pogostosti okužbe malih sesalcev z virusom klopnega meningoencefalitisa na območju Gorjancev in Tenetiš. Z encimskoimunskim testom smo v serumih živali ugotavljali specifična protitelesa. Prisotnost virusa pa smo neposredno dokazovali z metodo verižne reakcije s polimerazo. Protitelesa proti virusu klopnega meningencefalitisa smo dokazali v 8,3% serumov, virusni genom pa v 45,9% pregledanih živali. ugotavljamo, da le z dokazovanjem prisotnosti protiteles ni mooče oceniti stopnje okuženosti malih sesalcev. Dokazali smo, da je v Sloveniji rumenogrla miš primarni gostitelj virusa klopnega meningencefalitisa in da ni razlik v stopnji okuženosti med različno aktivnimi žarišči. Metoda verižne reakcije s polimerazo, ki smo jo prvi uporabili za dokavazanje virusa klopnega meningoencefalitisa v naravnih gostiteljih, je primerna za oceno naravnega žarišča klopnega meningoencefalitisa.
Descriptors		ENCEPHALITIS VIRUSES, TICK-BORNE DISEASE RESERVOIRS MURIDAE TICKS DISEASE VECTORS MAMMALS IMMUNOENZYME TECHNIQUES POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION SERODIAGNOSIS