Vertical transmission of tick-borne encephalitis virus between generations of adapted reservoir small rodents

Vertical transmission of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) between generations of the small rodents—red voles Myodes rutilus Pallas (previously known as Clethrionomys rutilus Pallas) was shown for naturally infected reservoir hosts and after experimental infection with different sublethal doses of the viral strains. For wild red voles and for their progeny born in 240–280 days after experimental infection of their parents the TBEV was detected in up to 90% of samples by RT-PCR, ELISA and bioassays. Small amounts of the TBEV RNA found in embryos, placenta and blood cells could serve as evidence of prenatal transmission. Postnatal transfer of the virus might occur through the rodent milk. Analysis of the TBEV E gene nucleotide sequences of RT-PCR products revealed missense mutations resulting in amino acid substitution K280Q in newborn red vole in comparison with its parent female.Taken together, the data confirmed the TBEV vertical transmission among generations of its adapted mammal reservoir hosts. The virus transfer might occur before, during and/or after birth of the small rodents with high frequencies. In the wild it could provide the TBEV long-term persistence in mammal hosts without an (any) involvement of arthropod vectors thus selecting dangerous mammal-adapted variants.