Seasonal and age distributions ofBabesia, Hepatozoon, TrypanosomaandGrahamellaspecies inClethrionomys glareolusandApodemus sylvaticuspopulations

Abstract

SUMMARYFour common blood parasites belonging to the generaBabesia, Hepatozoon, TrypanosomaandGrahamellawere detected in sympatric populations ofClethrionomys glareolusandApodemus sylvaticus. Seasonal changes in the abundance of hosts and parasites were monitored in a longitudinal field survey for 18 months. All parasites in both hosts showed similar seasonal patterns with most transmission occurring in summer and autumn and ceasing in winter. Amongst aged subsets of each host population,HepatozoonandGrahamellaspp. were primarily parasites of young animals whereasBabesiaandTrypanosomaspp. generally infected older hosts. Data from the aged subsets were also used to estimate values for the basic reproductive rate,R0, for each parasite. InC. glareolus,R0= 2·0 forB. microti, 2·6 forH. erhardovae, 1·7 forT. evotomysand 2·8 forGrahamellasp. InA. sylvaticusR0= 2·2 forGrahamellasp. These estimates are probably representative only for summer and autumn of each year.