Rodent-borne Ljungan virus

The Ljungan (picorna) virus (LV) was first isolated in 1998 from Swedish bank voles (Myodes glareolus), and has subsequently been put forward as a zoonotic agent of several human (primarily gestational) diseases. LV has been found in laboratory mice and rats, as well as many wild small mammal species, including mice, voles and lemmings, in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, USA, and most recently, Italy. Interestingly, this rodent-borne virus causes symptoms in the rodents themselves; hence, this virus is also interesting for its possible effect on rodent ecology and population dynamics. Knowledge of the distribution LV among wild and domestic mammal species is crucial to assess its potential importance as a human and rodent pathogen. Here we provide an update of the current understanding of the host and geographical distributions of LV across Europe at the end of the second year of sampling and screening within the EU FP7 project EDENext. We discuss in more detail the prevalence of LV in the lemming Lemmus lemmus during a peak in the population cycle in 2011-12