2004: Tick-borne viruses.

1: Parasitology. 2004;129 Suppl:S221-45. Related Articles, Links


Tick-borne viruses.

Labuda M, Nuttall PA.

Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9,
845 06 Bratislava, Slovakia. Milan.Labuda@xxxxxxxx

At least 38 viral species are transmitted by ticks.
Virus-tick-vertebrate host relationships are highly specific and less
than 10% of all tick species (Argasidae and Ixodidae) are known to play
a role as vectors of arboviruses. However, a few tick species transmit
several (e.g. Ixodes ricinus, Amblyomma variegatum) or many (I. uriae)
tick-borne viruses. Tick-borne viruses are found in six different virus
families (Asfarviridae, Reoviridae, Rhabdoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae,
Bunyaviridae, Flaviviridae) and at least 9 genera. Some as yet
unassigned tick-borne viruses may belong to a seventh family, the
Arenaviridae. With only one exception (African swine fever virus,
family Asfarviridae) all tick-borne viruses (as well as all other
arboviruses) are RNA viruses. Tick-borne viruses are found in all the
RNA virus families in which insect-borne members are found, with the
exception of the family Togaviridae. Some tick-borne viruses pose a
significant threat to the health of humans (Tick-borne encephalitis
virus, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus) or livestock (African
swine fever virus, Nairobi sheep disease virus). Key challenges are to
determine the molecular adaptations that allow tick-borne viruses to
infect and replicate in both tick and vertebrate cells, and to identify
the principal ecological determinants of tick-borne virus survival.

PMID: 15938513 [PubMed - in process]

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