ISOLATION OF CENTRAL EUROPEAN ENCEPHALITIS - (TICK-BORNE ENCEPHALITIS) VIRUS FROM IXODES-RICINUS (L) TICKS IN SOUTHERN GERMANY

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 242  (2) , 148-155
Abstract
During 1972-1976 a total of 14,692 ticks of the species I. ricinus (L.), (2,738 adults and 11,954 nymphs) was collected. They were taken from 5 areas where human Central European encephalitis virus (CEE) infections occurred. Via intracerebral i.c. and s.c. isolation experiments with suckling mice, 19 agents, exhibiting the pathogenic characteristics of CEE virus, were isolated from these ticks. In neutralization tests with suckling mice, these isolates could be identified as CEE virus strains. From the 14,692 ticks at least 1.29.permill. were virus carriers as evidenced by the number of isolated virus strains. At least 3.6.permill. of the adults and 0.76.permill. of the nymphs must have contained virus. In each of the 5 areas, rather distant from each other, the virus was successfully isolated. The favorable ecological conditions for the main vector I. ricinus in the Federal Republic of Germany suggested that this medically important tick-borne disease might be permanently present in many areas.

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