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spatial and temporal dynamics and molecular evolution of tula orthohantavirus in german vole populations.tula orthohantavirus (tulv) is a rodent-borne hantavirus with broad geographical distribution in europe. its major reservoir is the common vole (microtus arvalis), but tulv has also been detected in closely related vole species. given the large distributional range and high amplitude population dynamics of common voles, this host-pathogen complex presents an ideal system to study the complex mechanisms of pathogen transmission in a wild rodent reservoir. we investigated the dynamics of tulv prev ...202134208398
hantavirus-leptospira coinfections in small mammals from central germany.european orthohantaviruses (puumala orthohantavirus (puuv); dobrava-belgrade orthohantavirus (dobv), genotype kurkino; tula orthohantavirus (tulv)), and leptospira spp. are small mammal-associated zoonotic pathogens that cause diseases with potentially similar symptoms in humans. we investigated the frequency of leptospira spp. and hantavirus single and double infections in small mammals from 22 sites in thuringia, central germany, during 2017. tulv infections were detected at 18 of 22 sites (me ...202133612134
frequent leptospira spp. detection but absence of tula orthohantavirus in microtus spp. voles, northwestern spain.the common vole (microtus arvalis) is a major agricultural pest in europe and is a reservoir for several zoonotic agents, such as leptospira spp. and tula orthohantavirus (tulv). however, little is known about the occurrence of those pathogens in voles from spain, where the species has largely expanded its distribution range in the past decades, causing agricultural pests and zoonotic diseases. for a molecular survey, 580 common voles and six lusitanian pine voles (microtus lusitanicus) were col ...202134320644
evolutionary relationships of ljungan virus variants circulating in multi-host systems across europe.the picornavirus named 'ljungan virus' (lv, species parechovirus b) has been detected in a dozen small mammal species from across europe, but detailed information on its genetic diversity and host specificity is lacking. here, we analyze the evolutionary relationships of lv variants circulating in free-living mammal populations by comparing the phylogenetics of the vp1 region (encoding the capsid protein and associated with lv serotype) and the 3dpol region (encoding the rna polymerase) from 24 ...202134372523
hamster polyomavirus research: past, present, and future.hamster polyomavirus (mesocricetus auratus polyomavirus 1, hapyv) was discovered as one of the first rodent polyomaviruses at the end of the 1960s in a colony of syrian hamsters (mesocricetus auratus) affected by skin tumors. natural hapyv infections have been recorded in syrian hamster colonies due to the occurrence of skin tumors and lymphomas. hapyv infections of syrian hamsters represent an important and pioneering tumor model. experimental infections of syrian hamsters of different colonies ...202134068409
identification and characterization of jingmen tick virus in rodents from xinjiang, china.jingmen tick virus (jmtv) is a recently identified virus which provides an unexpected connection between segmented and unsegmented rna viruses. recent investigations reveal that jmtv including jmtv-like virus (alongshan virus) could be associated with human disease, suggesting the significance of jmtv in public health. to better understand the genetic diversity and host range of jmtv, a total of 164 rodents representing 8 species were collected in qapqal xibe county of xinjiang uygur autonomous ...202032531517
understanding conservation conflicts associated with rodent outbreaks in farmland areas.rodent outbreaks affect many farmland areas worldwide and the negative environmental impacts of control campaigns cause intense social tensions. in such conservation conflicts, understanding stakeholders' viewpoints is critical to promote ecologically sustainable management. we used q-methodology, a framework standing between qualitative and quantitative social research, to investigate human subjectivity and understand conflicts caused by rodent outbreaks in spain. we interviewed farmers, conser ...202031542887
self-service traps inspected by avian and terrestrial predators as a management option for rodents.worldwide, serval rodent species are major pests in agricultural landscapes. a vole-specific tub-trap combining trapping and natural predators was developed to minimize the migration of rodents into agricultural crops. the trap was tested in enclosures in terms of its trapability of common voles (microtus arvalis pallas) and in the field regarding predator access and removal of voles, both in comparison to a commercially available self-service trap (standby-box).202031287221
zoonotic viruses in three species of voles from poland.rodents are known to be reservoir hosts for a plethora of zoonotic viruses and therefore play a significant role in the dissemination of these pathogens. we trapped three vole species (microtus arvalis, alexandromys oeconomus and microtus agrestis) in northeastern poland, all of which are widely distributed species in europe. using immunofluorescence assays, we assessed serum samples for the presence of antibodies to hantaviruses, arenaviruses and cowpox viruses (cpxv). we detected antibodies ag ...202033036253
spatial and temporal evolutionary patterns in puumala orthohantavirus (puuv) s segment.the s segment of bank vole (clethrionomys glareolus)-associated puumala orthohantavirus (puuv) contains two overlapping open reading frames coding for the nucleocapsid (n) and a non-structural (nss) protein. to identify the influence of bank vole population dynamics on puuv s segment sequence evolution and test for spillover infections in sympatric rodent species, during 2010-2014, 883 bank voles, 357 yellow-necked mice (apodemus flavicollis), 62 wood mice (a. sylvaticus), 149 common voles (micr ...202032650456
circulation of rickettsia species and rickettsial endosymbionts among small mammals and their ectoparasites in eastern slovakia.bacteria belonging to the genus rickettsia are known as causative agents of vector-borne zoonotic diseases, such as spotted fevers, epidemic typhus and endemic typhus. different species of ticks, mites and fleas could act as reservoirs and arthropod vectors of different pathogenic rickettsia species. the aim of this work was to establish active surveillance of rickettsia spp. in mites, ticks and fleas collected from small mammals (rodents and shrews) in eastern slovakia. a total of 964 animal ea ...202032382991
detection of rickettsia spp. in fleas collected from small mammals in slovakia, central europe.this survey is aimed at investigation of species composition of fleas removed from small terrestrial mammals captured in rural, suburban, and urban types of habitat and molecular screening of the presence and diversity of rickettsia species in collected ectoparasites. in total, 279 fleas (siphonaptera) belonging to 9 species of 2 families, ceratophyllidae and hystrichopsyllidae, were collected from 115 (46%) out of 250 trapped small mammals of eight species (apodemus agrarius, apodemus flavicoll ...202032366189
among-individual differences in foraging modulate resource exploitation under perceived predation risk.foraging is risky and involves balancing the benefits of resource acquisition with costs of predation. optimal foraging theory predicts where, when and how long to forage in a given spatiotemporal distribution of risks and resources. however, significant variation in foraging behaviour and resource exploitation remain unexplained. using single foragers in artificial landscapes of perceived risks and resources with diminishing returns, we aimed to test whether foraging behaviour and resource expl ...202033141325
gonads or body? differences in gonadal and somatic photoperiodic growth response in two vole species.to optimally time reproduction, seasonal mammals use a photoperiodic neuroendocrine system (pnes) that measures photoperiod and subsequently drives reproduction. to adapt to late spring arrival at northern latitudes, a lower photoperiodic sensitivity and therefore a higher critical photoperiod for reproductive onset is necessary in northern species to arrest reproductive development until spring onset. temperature-photoperiod relationships, and hence food availability-photoperiod relationships, ...202032917818
interactions between common vole and winter rape.winter rape is a widespread crop in europe that provides the common vole with a suitable diet and cover from autumn to late spring (approximately 8 months). this review shows the following: that common vole populations reach a high density in winter rape. widespread rape fields (large size) provide better support for common vole populations compared to winter cereals. that a high-quality supply from winter rape enables the common vole to extend its reproductive season and successfully overwinter ...202032815254
survival time of leptospira kirschneri on strawberries.in the past decade, two leptospirosis outbreaks occurred among strawberry harvesters in germany, with 13, and 45 reported cases respectively. in both outbreaks, common voles (microtus arvalis) infected with leptospira kischneri serovar grippotyphosa were identified as the most likely outbreak source. in an univariate analysis, eating unwashed strawberries was identified as one of the risk factors associated with leptospira infection. the aim of this study was to evaluate the survival time of l. ...202032790762
small mammals in the big city: behavioural adjustments of non-commensal rodents to urban environments.a fundamental focus of current ecological and evolutionary research is to illuminate the drivers of animals' success in coping with human-induced rapid environmental change (hirec). behavioural adaptations are likely to play a major role in coping with hirec because behaviour largely determines how individuals interact with their surroundings. a substantial body of research reports behavioural modifications in urban dwellers compared to rural conspecifics. however, it is often unknown whether th ...202032767603
assessing genome-wide diversity in european hantaviruses through sequence capture from natural host samples.research on the ecology and evolution of viruses is often hampered by the limitation of sequence information to short parts of the genomes or single genomes derived from cultures. in this study, we use hybrid sequence capture enrichment in combination with high-throughput sequencing to provide efficient access to full genomes of european hantaviruses from rodent samples obtained in the field. we applied this methodology to tula (tulv) and puumala (puuv) orthohantaviruses for which analyses from ...202032664593
the prevalence of yersinia enterocolitica and yersinia pseudotuberculosis in small wild rodents in poland.rodents are a large group of mammals that can be carriers of zoonotic pathogens such as yersinia strains that cause yersiniosis. the prevalence of yersinia enterocolitica and yersinia pseudotuberculosis was determined in 214 small wild rodents from south-eastern poland. samples were analyzed by precultivation and pcr. nine (4.2%) y. enterocolitica and one (0.5%) y. pseudotuberculosis isolates were received. most of them (n = 5) were obtained from the common vole (microtus arvalis). all y. entero ...202032349633
generalist eimeria species in rodents: multilocus analyses indicate inadequate resolution of established markers.intracellular parasites of the genus eimeria are described as tissue/host-specific. phylogenetic classification of rodent eimeria suggested that some species have a broader host range than previously assumed. we explore whether eimeria spp. infecting house mice are misclassified by the most widely used molecular markers due to a lack of resolution, or whether, instead, these parasite species are indeed infecting multiple host species.with the commonly used markers (18s/coi), we recovered monophy ...202032076521
patchy occurrence of cowpox virus in voles from germany.cowpox virus (cpxv), genus orthopoxvirus, family poxviridae, is a zoonotic pathogen in eurasian wild rodents. high seroprevalences have been reported previously for vole and murine species in europe. in contrast, viral dna was only rarely detected, and very few reservoir-derived cpxv isolates exist. in this study, cpxv dna and cpxv-reactive antibodies were monitored in wild small mammals for 5 years in four german federal states. screening of liver tissues of 3966 animals by cpxv real-time pcr ( ...202032013767
coxiella burnetii and francisella tularensis in wild small mammals from the czech republic.wild rodents are an important source of the tick-borne pathogens coxiella burnetii and francisella tularensis. the aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of antibodies and possible coexistence of these pathogens in wild small mammals from three localities in the czech republic. a total of 614 wild small mammals (324 apodemus flavicollis, 145 myodes glareolus, 50 sorex araneus, 48 a. sylvaticus, 40 a. agrarius, six microtus arvalis and one talpa europaea) were trapped between 2012 and 2015 ...202031848075
in vivo characterization of a bank vole-derived cowpox virus isolate in natural hosts and the rat model.cowpox virus (cpxv) belongs to the genus orthopoxvirus in the poxviridae family and is endemic in western eurasia. based on seroprevalence studies in different voles from continental europe and uk, voles are suspected to be the major reservoir host. recently, a cpxv was isolated from a bank vole (myodes glareolus) in germany that showed a high genetic similarity to another isolate originating from a cotton-top tamarin (saguinus oedipus). here we characterize this first bank vole-derived cpxv iso ...202032093366
identification of hepatitis e virus in the feces of red foxes (vulpes vulpes).orthohepeviruses (hev) can infect a wide range of animals, showing a relatively strict host specificity; however, its zoonotic potential, natural transmission in the wildlife are less known. several new hev-like viruses have been identified in various animal species, including carnivores; however, the phylogenetic relationship among these viruses is poorly resolved, since some of them were known as rodent-related so far. the red fox, the most widespread carnivore worldwide, is a known reservoir ...202033050408
identification of a novel hantavirus strain in the root vole (microtus oeconomus) in lithuania, eastern europe.hantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens that can cause subclinical to lethal infections in humans. in europe, five orthohantaviruses are present in rodents: myodes-associated puumala orthohantavirus (puuv), microtus-associated tula orthohantavirus, traemmersee hantavirus (trav)/ tatenale hantavirus (tatv)/ kielder hantavirus, rat-borne seoul orthohantavirus, and apodemus-associated dobrava-belgrade orthohantavirus (dobv). human puuv and dobv infections were detected previously in lithuania, but the ...202032890767
salmonella and antimicrobial resistance in wild rodents-true or false threat?transmission of pathogenic and resistant bacteria from wildlife to the bacterial gene pool in nature affects the ecosystem. hence, we studied intestine content of five wild rodent species: the yellow-necked wood mouse (apodemus flavicollis, n = 121), striped field mouse (apodemus agrarius, n = 75), common vole (microtus arvalis, n = 37), bank vole (myodes glareolus, n = 3), and house mouse (mus musculus, n = 1) to assess their potential role as an antimicrobial resistance (amr) and salmonella ve ...202032967245
associations between different laelapidae (mesostigmata: dermanyssoidea) mites and small rodents from lithuania.associations between species of laelapidae (mesostigmata: dermanyssoidea) mites and small rodents have been studied insufficiently. the aim of this study was to investigate infestation patterns of small rodent species by laelapid mites at six locations in lithuania. a total of 728 rodents were snap- and live-trapped in various locations during 2013-2016. eight rodent species were identified, namely apodemus flavicollis, apodemus agrarius, myodes glareolus, micromys minutus, mus musculus, microtu ...202032307619
molecular detection of bartonella spp. in rodents in chernobyl exclusion zone, ukraine.bacteria of the genus bartonella are obligate parasites of vertebrates. their distribution range covers almost the entire world, from the americas to europe and asia. many bartonella species use rodents as reservoirs, and while much is known about bartonella infection of rodents in central europe, its extent is poorly understood in eastern europe.202032948932
ticks, fleas and rodent-hosts analyzed for the presence of borrelia miyamotoi in slovakia: the first record of borrelia miyamotoi in a haemaphysalis inermis tick.in slovakia, little knowledge is available on the occurrence, hosts and vectors of borrelia miyamotoi of the relapsing fever group. in the current study, 2160 questing and rodent-attached ticks of six species (ixodes ricinus, ixodes trianguliceps, dermacentor marginatus, dermacentor reticulatus, haemaphysalis concinna and haemaphysalis inermis), 279 fleas belonging to 9 species (ctenophthalmus agyrtes, ctenophthalmus solutus, ctenophthalmus assimilis, megabothris turbidus, amalareus penicilliger ...202032723657
common vole (microtus arvalis) and bank vole (myodes glareolus) derived permanent cell lines differ in their susceptibility and replication kinetics of animal and zoonotic viruses.pathogenesis and reservoir host adaptation of animal and zoonotic viruses are poorly understood due to missing adequate cell culture and animal models. the bank vole (myodes glareolus) and common vole (microtus arvalis) serve as hosts for a variety of zoonotic pathogens. for a better understanding of virus association to a putative animal host, we generated two novel cell lines from bank voles of different evolutionary lineages and two common vole cell lines and assayed their susceptibility, rep ...201931513859
geographical distribution and hosts of the cestode paranoplocephala omphalodes (hermann, 1783) lühe, 1910 in russia and adjacent territories.paranoplocephala omphalodes is a widespread parasite of voles. low morphological variability within the genus paranoplocephala has led to erroneous identification of p. omphalodes a wide range of definitive hosts. the use of molecular methods in the earlier investigations has confirmed that p. omphalodes parasitizes four vole species in europe. we studied the distribution of p. omphalodes in russia and kazakhstan using molecular tools. the study of 3248 individuals of 20 arvicoline species confi ...201931691856
identification and characterization of a novel subtype of tula virus in microtus arvalis obscurus voles sampled from xinjiang, china.although most of arvicolinae associated hantaviruses can not cause disease in humans, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (hfrs) cases caused by tula virus (tulv) have been described in europe since 2002. in addition to europe, tulv was also identified in the microtus arvalis obscurus voles sampled from kazakhstan, which shares borders with china. to gain more insight into the molecular epidemiology of tulv, a total of 365 rodents representing 7 species of 4 subfamily (arvicolinae, murinae, ge ...201931446137
detection of francisella tularensis in three vole species in central europe.francisella tularensis is a zoonotic, gram-negative bacterium that causes tularemia in humans. depending on its subspecies and the route of transmission, mild to lethal courses have been reported. f. tularensis subsp. holarctica is the only subspecies found in europe and affects a plenitude of vertebrates including lagomorphs and rodents. population outbreaks of certain rodent species are likely to be involved in the transmission of this pathogen. this molecular survey aims to evaluate the prese ...201930447176
hepatitis e virus in common voles (microtus arvalis) from an urban environment, hungary: discovery of a cricetidae-specific genotype of orthohepevirus c.hepatitis e virus is a major causative agent of acute hepatitis worldwide. despite its zoonotic potential, there is limited information about the natural chain of hepevirus infection in wildlife, and the potential reservoir species. in this study, we performed a hev survey by heminested rt-pcr on rodent samples from an urban environment (in the city of pécs, hungary) and investigated the prevalence of the virus among these native rodent species (apodemus agrarius, apodemus flavicollis, apodemus ...201930499180
diversity of cryptosporidium in common voles and description of cryptosporidium alticolis sp. n. and cryptosporidium microti sp. n. (apicomplexa: cryptosporidiidae).fecal samples from wild-caught common voles (n = 328) from 16 locations in the czech republic were screened for cryptosporidium by microscopy and pcr/sequencing at loci coding small-subunit rrna, cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein, actin and 70 kda heat shock protein. cryptosporidium infections were detected in 74 voles (22.6%). rates of infection did not differ between males and females nor between juveniles and adults. phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of eight cryptosporidium speci ...201930012231
ten-second electrophysiology: evaluation of the 3dep platform for high-speed, high-accuracy cell analysis.electrical correlates of the physiological state of a cell, such as membrane conductance and capacitance, as well as cytoplasm conductivity, contain vital information about cellular function, ion transport across the membrane, and propagation of electrical signals. they are, however, difficult to measure; gold-standard techniques are typically unable to measure more than a few cells per day, making widespread adoption difficult and limiting statistical reproducibility. we have developed a dielec ...201931844107
molecular detection and characterization of the first cowpox virus isolate derived from a bank vole.cowpox virus (cpxv) is a zoonotic orthopoxvirus (opv) that infects a wide range of mammals. cpxv-specific dna and antibodies were detected in different vole species, such as common voles (microtus arvalis) and bank voles (myodes glareolus). therefore, voles are the putative main reservoir host of cpxv. however, cpxv was up to now only isolated from common voles. here we report the detection and isolation of a bank vole-derived cpxv strain (germygek 938/17) resulting from a large-scale screening ...201931752129
morphological variability of the mandible shape of the common vole microtus arvalis (rodentia, arvicolidae) semi-species from the hybrid zone.the mandible shape of the common vole semi-species from the hybrid zone was studied for the first time using the methods of geometric morphometry. the hybrid specimens were found to display high morphological variability being closer to the parental microtus obscurus than to m. arvalis form. the main trends of changes in the mandible shape were primarily observed in the horizontal plane.201931732900
weather influences m. arvalis reproduction but not population dynamics in a 17-year time series.rodent outbreaks have plagued european agriculture for centuries, but continue to elude comprehensive explanation. modelling and empirical work in some cyclic rodent systems suggests that changes in reproductive parameters are partly responsible for observed population dynamics. using a 17-year time series of microtus arvalis population abundance and demographic data, we explored the relationship between meteorological conditions (temperature and rainfall), female reproductive activity, and popu ...201931558762
concentration of mercury in the livers of small terrestrial rodents from rural areas in poland.small terrestrial mammals could be used as accumulative biomonitors of different environmental contaminants, but the knowledge of the level of hg in their bodies is scant. the aim of our research was to verify the factors influencing hg bioaccumulation and to analyze the concentration of total mercury (hg) in the livers of four species of wild terrestrial rodents from different rural areas of poland: the yellow-necked mouse (apodemus flavicollis), striped field mouse (apodemus agrarius), common ...201931739423
the prevalence of pathogenic forms of leptospira in natural populations of small wild mammals in serbia.the greatest epidemiological significance of leptospirosis in europe comes from the fact that it is the most widespread zoonosis in the world. however, epizootiological data, especially information on maintenance hosts such as small wild mammals, are largely missing. to fill this gap in data in serbia, we used rt-pcr for the detection of pathogenic leptospira species and analysed 107 animals belonging to six species of small wild mammals (apodemus agrarius, apodemus flavicollis, microtus arvalis ...201931549550
mow the grass at the mouse's peril: diversity of small mammals in commercial fruit farms.small mammals are not only pests but also an important part of agricultural ecosystems. the common vole is a reference species for risk assessment of plant protection products in the european union, but no data about the suitability of the species in the baltic countries are present so far. using the snap-trap line method, we evaluated species composition, abundance, and diversity of small mammal communities in commercial orchards and berry plantations in lithuania, testing the predictions that ...201931181807
field vole-associated traemmersee hantavirus from germany represents a novel hantavirus species.vole-associated hantaviruses occur in the old and new world. tula orthohantavirus (tulv) is widely distributed throughout the european continent in its reservoir, the common vole (microtus arvalis), but the virus was also frequently detected in field voles (microtus agrestis) and other vole species. tulv and common voles are absent from great britain. however, field voles there harbor tatenale and kielder hantaviruses. here we screened 126 field voles and 13 common voles from brandenburg, german ...201931573059
assisted reproductive technologies in microtus genus.microtus genus is one of the experimental animals showing unique characteristics, and some species have been used as various research models. in order to advance the utilization of microtus genus, the development of assisted reproductive technologies (arts) is a key point. this review introduces recent progress in the development of arts for microtus genus, especially microtus montebelli (japanese field vole).201930996675
zoonotic bacteria in fleas parasitizing common voles, northwestern spain.we detected francisella tularensis and bartonella spp. in fleas parasitizing common voles (microtus arvalis) from northwestern spain; mean prevalence was 6.1% for f. tularensis and 51% for bartonella spp. contrasted vector-host associations in the prevalence of these bacteria suggest that fleas have distinct roles in the transmission cycle of each pathogen in nature.201931211940
does animal personality affect movement in habitat corridors? experiments with common voles (microtus arvalis) using different corridor widths.animal personality may affect an animal's mobility in a given landscape, influencing its propensity to take risks in an unknown environment. we investigated the mobility of translocated common voles in two corridor systems 60 m in length and differing in width (1 m and 3 m). voles were behaviorally phenotyped in repeated open field and barrier tests. observed behavioral traits were highly repeatable and described by a continuous personality score. subsequently, animals were tracked via an automa ...201931146468
secondary contact between diverged host lineages entails ecological speciation in a european hantavirus.the diversity of viruses probably exceeds biodiversity of eukaryotes, but little is known about the origin and emergence of novel virus species. experimentation and disease outbreak investigations have allowed the characterization of rapid molecular virus adaptation. however, the processes leading to the establishment of functionally distinct virus taxa in nature remain obscure. here, we demonstrate that incipient speciation in a natural host species has generated distinct ecological niches lead ...201930785873
unintentional effects of environmentally-friendly farming practices: arising conflicts between zero-tillage and a crop pest, the common vole (microtus arvalis).common voles are a main european facultative, fossorial, farmland rodent pest that can greatly reduce crop yields during population outbreaks. crop protection against common voles is a complex task that requires the consideration of a set of preventive and control measures within an integrated pest management strategy. a possible option could be to modify farming practices to reduce the availability of refuges for rodents and the damage to crops that they subsequently cause. farming, however, mu ...201930774172
zoonotic pathogens in fluctuating common vole (microtus arvalis) populations: occurrence and dynamics.diseases and host dynamics are linked, but their associations may vary in strength, be time-lagged, and depend on environmental influences. where a vector is involved in disease transmission, its dynamics are an additional influence, and we often lack a general understanding on how diseases, hosts and vectors interact. we report on the occurrence of six zoonotic arthropod-borne pathogens (anaplasma, bartonella, borrelia, coxiella, francisella and rickettsia) in common voles (microtus arvalis) th ...201930246665
population recovery of a common vole population (microtus arvalis) after population collapse.population collapses in small mammals occur naturally after natural disasters and during multi-annual population fluctuations as well as after man-made intervention such as rodent management action. although there has been extensive previous work on patterns and mechanisms of population fluctuations and cyclicity, little is known about population recovery after collapse. in europe, the common vole (microtus arvalis) is the major pest species in agriculture, damaging crops, competing with livesto ...201930230169
linking land cover satellite data with dietary variation and reproductive output in an opportunistic forager: arable land use can boost an ontogenetic trophic bottleneck in the white stork ciconia ciconia.determining how the progressive loss of resources due to agricultural intensification and habitat degradation affect individual fitness and population persistence is a matter of urgency. here we explored three major questions in order to extend knowledge of the relationship between reproduction rate, diet and energy intake in white storks ciconia ciconia based both on our own analysis of pellets and landscape properties sampled in 52 nests in south-western poland, and published literature data. ...201930056236
rodent host abundance and climate variability as predictors of tickborne disease risk 1 year in advance.using long-term data on incidences of lyme disease and tickborne encephalitis, we showed that the dynamics of both diseases in central europe are predictable from rodent host densities and climate indices. our approach offers a simple and effective tool to predict a tickborne disease risk 1 year in advance.201931441762
genomic and spatial variability of a european common vole hepevirus.rodents host different orthohepeviruses, namely orthohepevirus c genotype hev-c1 (rat hepatitis e virus, hev) and the additional putative genotypes hev-c3 and hev-c4. here, we screened 2,961 rodents from central europe by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rt-pcr) and identified hev rna in 13 common voles (microtus arvalis) and one bank vole (myodes glareolus) with detection rates of 2% (95% confidence interval [ci]: 1-3.4) and 0.08% (95% ci: 0.002-0.46), respectively. sequencing o ...201931399875
numerical response of a mammalian specialist predator to multiple prey dynamics in mediterranean farmlands.the study of rodent population cycles has greatly contributed, both theoretically and empirically, to our understanding of the circumstances under which predator-prey interactions destabilize populations. according to the specialist predator hypothesis, reciprocal interactions between voles and small predators that specialize on voles, such as weasels, can cause multiannual cycles. a fundamental feature of classical weasel-vole models is a long time-lag in the numerical response of the predator ...201931172505
effects of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes on nonshivering thermogenesis in a wild derived rodent.a key adaptation of mammals to their environment is their ability to maintain a constant high body temperature, even at rest, under a wide range of ambient temperatures. in cold climates, this is achieved by an adaptive production of endogenous heat, known as nonshivering thermogenesis (nst), in the brown adipose tissue (bat). this organ, unique to mammals, contains a very high density of mitochondria, and bat correct functioning relies on the correct functioning of its mitochondria. mitochondri ...201829945248
spatial capture-recapture design and modelling for the study of small mammals.spatial capture-recapture modelling (scr) is a powerful analytical tool to estimate density and derive information on space use and behaviour of elusive animals. yet, scr has been seldom applied to the study of ecologically keystone small mammals. here we highlight its potential and requirements with a case study on common voles (microtus arvalis). first, we address mortality associated with live-trapping, which can be high in small mammals, and must be kept minimal. we designed and tested a nes ...201829879211
draft genome sequence of staphylococcus microti dsm 22147, isolated from the common vole.staphylococcus microti dsm 22147 was isolated from viscera of common voles (microtus arvalis pallas) with generalized brucella microti infection in the czech republic. to the best of our knowledge, the genome sequence of the species s. microti has not been previously studied. the complete genome sequence of strain dsm 22147 includes a genome of 2,381,859 bp (38.0% gc content) without any plasmids.201829773631
establishment and validation of microsampling techniques in wild rodents for ecotoxicological research.compounds and products in the biocide and plant protection sector can only be registered after formal risk assessment to ensure safety for users and the environment. in bird and mammal risk assessment, this is routinely done using generic focal species as models, which are of particular exposure risk. such a species is the common vole (microtus arvalis) due to its high food intake relative to the low body weight. for wild species, biological samples, data and hence realistic exposure estimations ...201829766525
high prevalence of rickettsia helvetica in wild small mammal populations in germany.since the beginning of the 21st century, spotted fever rickettsioses are known as emerging diseases worldwide. rickettsiae are obligately intracellular bacteria transmitted by arthropod vectors. the ecology of rickettsia species has not been investigated in detail, but small mammals are considered to play a role as reservoirs. aim of this study was to monitor rickettsiae in wild small mammals over a period of five years in four federal states of germany. initial screening of ear pinna tissues of ...201829398604
a possible cytogenetic analogy to genomic «speciation islands» as revealed by chromosome study of a natural hybrid vole.chromosome analysis in mammals over the last half century has largely focused on species identification. a growing number of hybrid zones of karyotypically differentiated cryptic taxa have been described. a good example is provided by two karyoforms of the 46-chromosome common vole (long known as «arvalis» and «obscurus») that make contact longitudinally from the north to the south of european russia. the hybrid f1 karyotype displays genomic markers which distinguish arvalis and obscurus and whi ...201830188644
bartonella infections in three species of microtus: prevalence and genetic diversity, vertical transmission and the effect of concurrent babesia microti infection on its success.bartonella spp. cause persistent bacterial infections in mammals. although these bacteria are transmitted by blood-feeding arthropods, there is also evidence for vertical transmission in their mammalian hosts. we aimed to determine: (i) the prevalence and diversity of bartonella spp. in a microtus spp. community; (ii) whether vertical transmission occurs from infected female voles to their offspring; (iii) the effect of concurrent babesia microti infection on the success of vertical transmission ...201830165879
molecular evidence and diversity of the spotted-fever group rickettsia spp. in small mammals from natural, suburban and urban areas of eastern slovakia.rickettsiae of the spotted fever group are considered as emerging pathogens; ticks, fleas and mites are known to be their vectors. however, the prevalence and species diversity of rickettsiae in small mammals and the role of these hosts in the circulation of bacteria are much less studied. during 2014-2016, a total of 250 small mammals (apodemus agrarius, apodemus flavicollis, apodemus uralensis, myodes glareolus, crocidura leucodon, crocidura suaveolens, micromys minutus, microtus arvalis, micr ...201830207272
parallel survey of two widespread renal syndrome-causing zoonoses: leptospira spp. and hantavirus in urban environment, hungary.rodents are important reservoir hosts for several zoonotic pathogens that cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans. among others, leptospirosis is one of the most widespread zoonotic diseases worldwide and has the similar clinical manifestation with hantavirus infection in humans. despite the fact that both pathogens have great epidemiological significance in europe, no epizootiological data exist for urbanized areas so far. therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the occur ...201829437551
leptospira genomospecies and sequence type prevalence in small mammal populations in germany.leptospirosis is a worldwide emerging infectious disease caused by zoonotic bacteria of the genus leptospira. numerous mammals, including domestic and companion animals, can be infected by leptospira spp., but rodents and other small mammals are considered the main reservoir. the annual number of recorded human leptospirosis cases in germany (2001-2016) was 25-166. field fever outbreaks in strawberry pickers, due to infection with leptospira kirschneri serovar grippotyphosa, were reported in 200 ...201829470107
assessing bat droppings and predatory bird pellets for vector-borne bacteria: molecular evidence of bat-associated neorickettsia sp. in europe.in europe, several species of bats, owls and kestrels exemplify highly urbanised, flying vertebrates, which may get close to humans or domestic animals. bat droppings and bird pellets may have epidemiological, as well as diagnostic significance from the point of view of pathogens. in this work 221 bat faecal and 118 bird pellet samples were screened for a broad range of vector-borne bacteria using pcr-based methods. rickettsia dna was detected in 13 bat faecal dna extracts, including the sequenc ...201829492770
recombinant ifn-γ from the bank vole myodes glareolus: a novel tool for research on rodent reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens.rodent species like myodes glareolus and microtus spp. are natural reservoirs for many zoonotic pathogens causing human diseases and are gaining increasing interest in the field of eco-immunology as candidate animal models. despite their importance the lack of immunological reagents has hampered research in these animal species. here we report the recombinant production and functional characterization of ifn-γ, a central mediator of host's innate and adaptive immune responses, from the bank vole ...201829434310
cryptosporidium apodemi sp. n. and cryptosporidium ditrichi sp. n. (apicomplexa: cryptosporidiidae) in apodemus spp.faecal samples from striped field mice (n = 72) and yellow-necked mice (n = 246) were screened for cryptosporidium by microscopy and pcr/sequencing. phylogenetic analysis of small-subunit rrna, cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein and actin gene sequences revealed the presence of c. parvum, c. hominis, c. muris and two new species, c. apodemi and c. ditrichi. oocysts of c. apodemi are smaller than c. ditrichi and both are experimentally infectious for yellow-necked mice but not for common voles. ...201829360041
control of rest:activity by a dopaminergic ultradian oscillator and the circadian clock.there is long-standing evidence for rhythms in locomotor activity, as well as various other aspects of physiology, with periods substantially shorter than 24 h in organisms ranging from fruit flies to humans. these ultradian oscillations, whose periods frequently fall between 2 and 6 h, are normally well integrated with circadian rhythms; however, they often lack the period stability and expression robustness of the latter. an adaptive advantage of ultradian rhythms has been clearly demonstrated ...201729230188
influence of no-tillage versus tillage system on common vole (microtus arvalis) population density.while the 'no-tillage' management system generally improves soil properties and helps to control arthropod pests, it may also intensify crop infestation by the common vole (microtus arvalis pallas). in this study, we evaluated the impact of soil management (no-tillage, tillage), crop and previous crop (winter wheat, winter rape), and season (spring, autumn) on common vole density using data from the common vole monitoring programme undertaken by the plant protection service of the czech republic ...201729193739
epidemiological investigations of four cowpox virus outbreaks in alpaca herds, germany.four cowpox virus (cpxv) outbreaks occurred in unrelated alpaca herds in eastern germany during 2012-2017. all incidents were initially noticed due to severe, generalized, and finally lethal cpxv infections, which were confirmed by testing of tissue and serum samples. as cpxv-infection has been described in south american camelids (sacs) only three times, all four herds were investigated to gain a deeper understanding of cpxv epidemiology in alpacas. the different herds were investigated twice, ...201729156539
environmental surveillance during an outbreak of tularaemia in hares, the netherlands, 2015.tularaemia, a disease caused by the bacterium francisella tularensis, is a re-emerging zoonosis in the netherlands. after sporadic human and hare cases occurred in the period 2011 to 2014, a cluster of f. tularensis-infected hares was recognised in a region in the north of the netherlands from february to may 2015. no human cases were identified, including after active case finding. presence of f. tularensis was investigated in potential reservoirs and transmission routes, including common voles ...201728877846
cryptosporidium infecting wild cricetid rodents from the subfamilies arvicolinae and neotominae.we undertook a study on cryptosporidium spp. in wild cricetid rodents. fecal samples were collected from meadow voles (microtus pennsylvanicus), southern red-backed voles (myodes gapperi), woodland voles (microtus pinetorum), muskrats (ondatra zibethicus) and peromyscus spp. mice in north america, and from bank voles (myodes glareolus) and common voles (microtus arvalis) in europe. isolates were characterized by sequence and phylogenetic analyses of the small subunit ribosomal rna (ssu) and acti ...201728870264
difference in susceptibility of small rodent host species to infestation by ixodes ricinus larvae.in a laboratory experiment (repeated eight times) individuals of six small rodent species were mixed with 500 ixodes ricinus larvae for 24 h, than over a 3-day-long observation period engorged ticks fallen from individually kept rodents were counted. forty engorged larvae fell from the hosts, 25% from striped field mice, 32.5% from house mice, 22.5% from common voles, 10% from bank voles, while wood mouse and steppe mouse proved to be almost free of successfully infesting ticks (both 5%). statis ...201728593480
density-dependent prevalence of francisella tularensis in fluctuating vole populations, northwestern spain.tularemia in humans in northwestern spain is associated with increases in vole populations. prevalence of infection with francisella tularensis in common voles increased to 33% during a vole population fluctuation. this finding confirms that voles are spillover agents for zoonotic outbreaks. ecologic interactions associated with tularemia prevention should be considered.201728726608
eight whole-genome assemblies of yersinia pestis subsp. microtus bv. caucasica isolated from the common vole (microtus arvalis) plague focus in dagestan, russia.we here report the draft genome sequences of 8 yersinia pestis subsp. microtus bv. caucasica strains isolated from the east caucasian (previous name, dagestan) mountain focus (no. 39), representing the most ancient branch of the 0.pe2 phylogroup circulating in populations of common voles (microtus arvalis).201728839028
diversity and prevalence of bartonella species in small mammals from slovakia, central europe.wild-living rodents are important hosts for zoonotic pathogens. bartonella infections are widespread in rodents; however, in slovakia, knowledge on the prevalence of these bacteria in small mammals is limited. we investigated the prevalence and diversity of bartonella species in the spleens of 640 rodents of six species (apodemus flavicollis, apodemus sylvaticus, myodes glareolus, microtus arvalis, microtus subterraneus, and micromys minutus) and in the european mole (talpa europaea) from three ...201728975409
microtus arvalis and arvicola scherman: key players in the echinococcus multilocularis life cycle.a broad range of rodent species are described as potential intermediate hosts for echinococcus multilocularis, a wide-spread zoonotic cestode causing alveolar echinococcosis. however, little is known about the relative contribution of these species for parasite reproduction and the maintenance of its life cycle. in a comparative study in a high endemic region in zurich, switzerland, we investigated prevalence rates and fertility of e. multilocularis in the most abundant vole species as well as t ...201729326950
intrachromosomal rearrangements in rodents from the perspective of comparative region-specific painting.it has long been hypothesized that chromosomal rearrangements play a central role in different evolutionary processes, particularly in speciation and adaptation. interchromosomal rearrangements have been extensively mapped using chromosome painting. however, intrachromosomal rearrangements have only been described using molecular cytogenetics in a limited number of mammals, including a few rodent species. this situation is unfortunate because intrachromosomal rearrangements are more abundant tha ...201728867774
parental care, aggressiveness, and testosterone secretion in male common voles (microtus arvalis) and steppe lemmings (lagurus lagurus). 201720506841
like or dislike: response of rodents to the odor of plant secondary metabolites.rodents, including common voles (microtus arvalis) and house mice (mus musculus) cause immense pre-harvest and post-harvest losses. therefore, developing methods that mitigate these losses while maintaining their role in ecosystems is a priority. several plant secondary metabolites (psm) which significantly reduce food intake of both species under laboratory conditions have been identified. however, before these can be used in rodent pest management, they must be tested under more natural condit ...201727992117
common voles of the microtus arvalis group in the urals: genome instability and chromosomal polymorphism. 201716485643
voles of the microtus arvalis group in zones of ecological risk: interspecies hybridization. 201712918435
[specific features of nitrogen transformation in the soddy-podzolic soil in the areas of habitat of the common vole microtus arvalis].the influence of common vole microtus arvalis on processes of nitrogen fixation and denitrification in the soddy-podsolic soil was studied. in the common vole colonies, the level of nitrogen fixation was reliably lower and that of denitrification higher, than in the control soil outside these colonies. nitrogen-containing excretory products of voles accumulating in the soil are among the main factors that determine the activity of these processes.201712068433
prevalence, genetic identity and vertical transmission of babesia microti in three naturally infected species of vole, microtus spp. (cricetidae).vertical transmission is one of the transmission routes for babesia microti, the causative agent of the zoonotic disease, babesiosis. congenital babesia invasions have been recorded in laboratory mice, dogs and humans. the aim of our study was to determine if vertical transmission of b. microti occurs in naturally-infected reservoir hosts of the genus microtus.201728166832
borrelia miyamotoi and co-infection with borrelia afzelii in ixodes ricinus ticks and rodents from slovakia.borrelia miyamotoi causes relapsing fever in humans. the occurrence of this spirochete has been reported in ixodes ricinus and wildlife, but there are still gaps in the knowledge of its eco-epidemiology and public health impact. in the current study, questing i. ricinus (nymphs and adults) and skin biopsies from rodents captured in slovakia were screened for the presence of b. miyamotoi and borrelia burgdorferi s.l. dna. the prevalence of b. miyamotoi and b. burgdorferi s.l. in questing ticks wa ...201727995301
the enzootic life-cycle of borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) and tick-borne rickettsiae: an epidemiological study on wild-living small mammals and their ticks from saxony, germany.borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) and rickettsiae of the spotted fever group are zoonotic tick-borne pathogens. while small mammals are confirmed reservoirs for certain borrelia spp., little is known about the reservoirs for tick-borne rickettsiae. between 2012 and 2014, ticks were collected from the vegetation and small mammals which were trapped in saxony, germany. dna extracted from ticks and the small mammals' skin was analyzed for the presence of rickettsia spp. and b. burgdorferi (s.l.) by ...201728285593
molecular evidence of rickettsia spp. in ixodid ticks and rodents in suburban, natural and rural habitats in slovakia.natural foci of tick-borne spotted fever group (sfg) rickettsiae of public health concern have been found in slovakia, but the role of rodents in their circulation is unclear. ticks (ixodes ricinus, ixodes trianguliceps, dermacentor marginatus, dermacentor reticulatus, haemaphysalis concinna and haemaphysalis inermis) and tissues of rodents (apodemus flavicollis, apodemus sylvaticus, myodes glareolus, microtus arvalis, microtus subterraneus and micromys minutus) were examined for the presence of ...201728340608
harmonizing methods for wildlife abundance estimation and pathogen detection in europe-a questionnaire survey on three selected host-pathogen combinations.the need for wildlife health surveillance as part of disease control in wildlife, domestic animals and humans on the global level is widely recognized. however, the objectives, methods and intensity of existing wildlife health surveillance programs vary greatly among european countries, resulting in a patchwork of data that are difficult to merge and compare. this survey aimed at evaluating the need and potential for data harmonization in wildlife health in europe. the specific objective was to ...201728202055
isolation and complete genome characterization of novel reassortant orthoreovirus from common vole (microtus arvalis).a novel mammalian orthoreovirus (mrv) strain was isolated from the lung tissue of a common vole (microtus arvalis) with tula hantavirus infection. seven segments (l1-l3, m2-m3, s2, and s4) of the hungarian mrv isolate morv/47ma/06 revealed a high similarity with an mrv strain detected in bank vole (myodes glareolus) in germany. the m1 and s3 segment of the hungarian isolate showed the closest relationship with the sequence of a slovenian human and a french murine isolate, respectively. the highe ...201727858312
leptospira spp. in small mammals from areas with low and high human hantavirus incidences in south-west germany.leptospirosis is caused by leptospira spp. and is considered the most widespread zoonotic disease worldwide. it mimics nephropathia epidemica in humans, a disease mainly caused by puumala hantavirus (puuv). small mammals are reservoirs for leptospira spp. and puuv. seewis virus (swsv) is a shrew-borne hantavirus with unknown pathogenicity. the objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence for leptospira spp. and the frequency of leptospira-hantavirus co-infections in small mammals colle ...201728332927
high prevalence of tula hantavirus in common voles in the netherlands.tula virus (tulv) is a zoonotic hantavirus. knowledge about tulv in the netherlands is very scarce. therefore in 2014, 49 common voles (microtus arvalis) from a region in the south of the netherlands, and in 2015, 241 common voles from regions in the north of the netherlands were tested with the tulv quantitative rt-pcr. in the southern region, prevalence of tulv was 41% (20/49). in the northern regions, prevalence ranged from 12% (4/34) to 45% (17/38). phylogenetic analysis of the obtained sequ ...201728112627
induced pluripotent stem cells of microtus levis x microtus arvalis vole hybrids: conditions necessary for their generation and self-renewal.every year, the list of mammalian species for which cultures of pluripotent stem cells (pscs) are generated increases. pscs are a unique tool for extending the limits of experimental studies and modeling different biological processes. in this work, induced pluripotent stem cells (ipscs) from the hybrids of common voles microtus levis and microtus arvalis, which are used as model objects to study genome organization on the molecular-genetic level and the mechanisms of x-chromosome inactivation, ...201726798492
rodent food quality and its relation to crops and other environmental and population parameters in an agricultural landscape.the diet, its quality and quantity considerably influence population parameters of rodents. in this study, we used nirs methods for estimation of nitrogen content in stomachs of rodent populations. the study was carried out in diverse arable landscape in south moravia, czech republic. rodents were sampled in cultural crops (alfalfa, barley, wheat, sunflower, maize and rape) as well as in fallow habitats (herbal set-aside and old orchard). influence of habitat, date, year, individual parameters ( ...201627099997
an example of population-level risk assessments for small mammals using individual-based population models.this article presents a case study demonstrating the application of 3 individual-based, spatially explicit population models (ibms, also known as agent-based models) in ecological risk assessments to predict long-term effects of a pesticide to populations of small mammals. the 3 ibms each used a hypothetical fungicide (fungicidex) in different scenarios: spraying in cereals (common vole, microtus arvalis), spraying in orchards (field vole, microtus agrestis), and cereal seed treatment (wood mous ...201625891765
high genetic structuring of tula hantavirus.tula virus (tulv) is a vole-associated hantavirus with low or no pathogenicity to humans. in the present study, 686 common voles (microtus arvalis), 249 field voles (microtus agrestis) and 30 water voles (arvicola spec.) were collected at 79 sites in germany, luxembourg and france and screened by rt-pcr and tulv-igg elisa. tulv-specific rna and/or antibodies were detected at 43 of the sites, demonstrating a geographically widespread distribution of the virus in the studied area. the tulv prevale ...201626831932
yersinia pestis caf1 protein: effect of sequence polymorphism on intrinsic disorder propensity, serological cross-reactivity and cross-protectivity of isoforms.yersinia pestis caf1 is a multifunctional protein responsible for antiphagocytic activity and is a key protective antigen. it is generally conserved between globally distributed y. pestis strains, but y. pestis subsp. microtus biovar caucasica strains circulating within populations of common voles in georgia and armenia were reported to carry a single substitution of alanine to serine. we investigated polymorphism of the caf1 sequences among other y. pestis subsp. microtus strains, which have a ...201627606595
line-1 distribution in six rodent genomes follow a species-specific pattern.l1 distribution in mammal's genomes is yet a huge riddle. however, these repetitive sequences were already found in all chromosomic regions, and in general, they seem to be nonrandomly distributed in the genome. it also seems that after insertion and when they are not deleterious, they are always involved in dynamic processes occurring on that particular chromosomic region. furthermore, it seems that large-scale genome rearrangements and l1 activity and accumulation are somehow interconnected. i ...201627019429
an assessment of non-volant terrestrial vertebrates response to wind farms--a study of small mammals.the majority of studies on the effects of wind energy development on wildlife have been focused on birds and bats, whereas knowledge of the response of terrestrial, non-flying vertebrates is very scarce. in this paper, the impact of three functioning wind farms on terrestrial small mammal communities (rodents and shrews) and the population parameters of the most abundant species were studied. the study was carried out in southeastern poland within the foothills of the outer western carpathians. ...201626818016
molecular survey of zoonotic agents in rodents and other small mammals in croatia.croatia is a focus for many rodent-borne zoonosis. here, we report a survey of 242 rodents and small mammals, including 43 myodes glareolus, 131 apodemus flavicollis, 53 apodemus agrarius, three apodemus sylvaticus, six sorex araneus, four microtus arvalis, one microtus agrestis, and one muscardinus avellanarius, collected at eight sites in croatia over an 8-year period. multiplex masstag polymerase chain reaction (pcr) was used for detection of borrelia, rickettsia, bartonella, babesia, ehrlich ...201626711522
candidatus neoehrlichia mikurensis in ticks and rodents from urban and natural habitats of south-western slovakia.candidatus neoehrlichia mikurensis (cnm) is an emerging tick-borne pathogen causing severe disease in immunocompromised patients. in europe, ixodes ricinus is the primary vector and rodents act as reservoir hosts. new data on the prevalence of cnm in ticks and rodents contribute to the knowledge on the distribution of endemic areas and circulation of the bacterium in natural foci.201626728197
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