RT Book, Section
A1 Kuhn, Jens H.
A1 Charrel, Rémi N.
A2 Jameson, J. Larry
A2 Fauci, Anthony S.
A2 Kasper, Dennis L.
A2 Hauser, Stephen L.
A2 Longo, Dan L.
A2 Loscalzo, Joseph
SR Print(0)
ID 1155971053
T1 Arthropod-Borne and Rodent-Borne Virus Infections
T2 Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 20e
YR 2018
FD 2018
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 9781259644016
LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1155971053
RD 2024/04/23
AB This  chapter  summarizes  the  major  features  of  selected  arthropod-borne  and  rodent-borne  viruses.  Numerous  viruses  of  this  category  are  transmitted  in  nature  among  animals  without  ever  infecting  humans.  Other  viruses  incidentally  infect  humans,  but  only  a  proportion  of  these  viruses  induce  human  disease.  In  addition,  certain  viral  agents  are  regularly  introduced  into  human  populations  or  spread  among  humans  by  certain  arthropods  (specifically,  insects  and  ticks)  or  by  chronically  infected  rodents.  These  zoonotic  viruses  are  taxonomically  diverse  and  therefore  differ  fundamentally  from  one  another  in  terms  of  virion  morphology,  replication  strategies,  genomic  organization,  and  genome  sequence.  While  a  virus’s  classification  in  a  taxon  is  enlightening  with  regard  to  natural  maintenance  strategies,  sensitivity  to  antiviral  agents,  and  particular  aspects  of  pathogenesis,  the  classification  does  not  necessarily  predict  which  clinical  signs  and  symptoms  (if  any)  the  virus  will  cause  in  humans.  Zoonotic  viruses  are  evolving,  and  “new”  zoonotic  viruses  are  regularly  discovered.  The  epizootiology  and  epidemiology  of  zoonotic  viruses  continue  to  change  because  of  environmental  alterations  affecting  vectors,  reservoirs,  wildlife,  livestock,  and  humans.  Zoonotic  viruses  are  most  numerous  in  the  tropics  but  are  also  found  in  temperate  and  even  frigid  climates.  The  distribution  and  seasonal  activity  of  a  zoonotic  virus  may  vary,  and  the  rate  at  which  they  change  is  likely  to  depend  largely  on  ecologic  conditions  (e.g.,  rainfall  and  temperature),  which  can  affect  the  density  of  virus  vectors  and  reservoirs  and  the  development  of  infection.