Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is an often-fatal disease thought to be transmitted exclusively by rodents. We report the first evidence of hantavirus-specific RNA (Bayou) from two trombiculid mites (chiggers) and an ixodid tick parasitizing wild-caught rodents at a field site in Texas and also from a trombiculid mite in the free-living predatory stage of the chigger life cycle collected from the same site.
Posted by teresambear (Member # 15061) on :
Just when you think it can not get any worse. OMG hanta is some real serious virus.
Posted by lymebytes (Member # 11830) on :
OMG! I never thought of this and it makes perfect sense!
I know where I live most ticks feed off mice...great...
Posted by Melanie Reber (Member # 3707) on :
Remember...this does not necessarily mean that ticks can transmit this pathogen, only that it was found in the tick.