[Intrapopulation differences in the infectivity of adult Ixodes persulcatus P. Sch. with the tick-borne encephalitis virus and an assessment of its total content in ticks]

Abstract

At the present stage of investigations on the role of vectors in foci of tick-borne encephalitis and of other transmissible infections it is necessary not only to operate with extensive indices of arthropod infection rate but also to take into account the degree of their infection. It has been demonstrated that adult empty Ixodes persulcatus ticks at the time of activation differ significantly by the degree of their infection with tick-borne encephalitis virus. In the Khabarovsk Territory, annual changes in the relative and absolute numbers of infected ticks did not lead to sharp variations in the virus population portion associated with ticks. It is suggested that vector individuals containing different virus doses are of different functional importance in providing long-term existence of virus population.