| The potential for a native New World rodent species, the deer mouse ( Peromyscus maniculatus), to serve as an amplifying or reservoir host for vesicular stomatitis virus New Jersey and Indiana serotypes (VSV-NJ and VSV-I) was examined. Juvenile and adult deer mice were inoculated intranasally with a sand fly isolate of VSV-NJ from Ossabaw Island, Georgia. In a second experiment, adult deer mice were inoculated intranasally with an equine isolate of VSV-NJ from Colorado. Infection with both viral isolates by this route consistently led to a fatal encephalomyelitis in both age classes by day 7 postinoculation (PI), as detected by histology, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization. Viremia was detected in both age classes associated with both isolates on days 1--3 PI, using virus isolation and nested RT-PCR.;In a third experiment, nestling, juvenile, and adult deer mice were inoculated intradermally with VSV-NJ Colorado. Adults were resistant to infection or developed subclinical infection by this route. Nestlings and juveniles were both susceptible to infection by this route, and developed a detectable viremia lasting from days 1--3 PI, followed by fatal encephalomyelitis by days 4--6 PI.;In a fourth experiment, adult mice were inoculated either intranasally or intradermally with an equine isolate of VSV-I from New Mexico. None of the mice displayed clinical signs through day 6 PI. Viremia was detected on days 1 and 2 PI in both inoculation groups. Virus was re-isolated from several tissues in both groups on days 1--5 PI; however, by day 6 PI virus was not re-isolated or detected using immunohistochemistry in any tissue.;In a final experiment, 10 pregnant deer mice were inoculated intradermally with VSV-NJ Colorado. No pregnant mice displayed clinical signs, one developed viremia lasting until day 3 PI, and two gave birth to infected (viremic) pups.;These results suggest that deer mice could serve as amplifying hosts for VSV-NJ and VSV-I, particularly younger age classes for VSV-NJ, but deer mice probably are not suitable reservoir hosts for VSV-NJ. |
