Persistence of pathogens with short infectious periods in seasonal tick populations: the relative importance of three transmission routes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The flaviviruses causing tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) persist at low but consistent levels in tick populations, despite short infectious periods in their mammalian hosts and transmission periods constrained by distinctly seasonal tick life cycles. In addition to systemic and vertical transmission, cofeeding transmission has been proposed as an important route for the persistence of TBE-causing viruses. Because cofeeding transmission requires ticks to feed simultaneously, the timing of tick activity may be critical to pathogen persistence. Existing models of tick-borne diseases do not incorporate all transmission routes and tick seasonality. Our aim is to evaluate the influence of seasonality on the relative importance of different transmission routes by using a comprehe

SUBMITTER: Nonaka E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2909195 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature