[The exchange of the tick-borne encephalitis virus between ixodid ticks feeding jointly on animals with a subthreshold level of viremia]

Abstract

Experiments with narrow-placed-together groups of infected and noninfected tick feedings of aviremic animals proved a new way of infection for the intact specimens through the infected saliva of infected ticks excreted in the common focus of the skin inflammation. This way of the virus transmission is proposed to be nominated as transptialonic (according to the Greek word "ptialon" or saliva). It is also recommended to check up the density of ticks on the hosts and designate it as an agglomeration index.