West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Neutralizing Antibodies Found in Dutch Rodent Species

Nnomzie C Atama; Beatriz B Martin; Mees G van Horssen; Felicity D Chandler; Emily L Pascoe; Marieke P de Cock; Miriam Maas; Cora M Holicki; Helen J Esser; Constantianus J M Koenraadt; Marion P G Koopmans; Maarten Schrama; Reina S Sikkema

doi:10.1177/15303667251380275

West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Neutralizing Antibodies Found in Dutch Rodent Species

Nnomzie C Atama
, Beatriz B Martin
, Mees G van Horssen
, Felicity D Chandler
, Emily L Pascoe
, Marieke P de Cock
, Miriam Maas
, Cora M Holicki
, Helen J Esser
, Constantianus J M Koenraadt
, Marion P G Koopmans
, Maarten Schrama
, Reina S Sikkema^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Virology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background:

In the Netherlands, Usutu virus (USUV) is endemic in birds, and recently West Nile virus (WNV) was also detected in birds, mosquitoes and humans. Here we investigated the possible role of rodents in the viruses' transmission ecology.

Materials and Methods:

We sampled rodents at six locations including sites where WNV had been previously detected. Brains (n = 668), oral swabs (n = 282), and ticks (n = 91) collected from rodents were tested for arboviruses via Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Also, sera from 118 rodents were tested for WNV- and USUV-antibodies.

Results and Conclusion:

Brain samples, swabs, and ticks tested negative for viral RNA. However, 2.5% (3/118; two wood mice, one field vole) of rodents had WNV-neutralizing antibodies (WNV-NAbs). USUV-NAbs were detected in a wood mouse. Two bank voles had NAbs against both viruses. The WNV and USUV antibody-positive rodents were found at locations with previous WNV and USUV circulations, suggesting that rodents may be involved in the ecology of WNV and USUV.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	708-711
Number of pages	4
Journal	Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases
Volume	25
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667251380275
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 7 Jan 2026

Bibliographical note

his work is part of a One Health PACT research consortium, which is (partly) funded by the Dutch Research Council
(NWO) with project number 109986. R.S.S. and M.K.
received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No. 874735 (VEO). Fieldwork was partly funded by
Kappa Flu budget (project number: 1414961).

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West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Neutralizing Antibodies Found in Dutch Rodent SpeciesFinal published version, 591 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Atama, N. C., Martin, B. B., van Horssen, M. G., Chandler, F. D., Pascoe, E. L., de Cock, M. P., Maas, M., Holicki, C. M., Esser, H. J., Koenraadt, C. J. M., Koopmans, M. P. G., Schrama, M., & Sikkema, R. S. (2026). West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Neutralizing Antibodies Found in Dutch Rodent Species. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 25(11), 708-711. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667251380275

@article{36fe4c516ba34762b21cb33bbdfa308d,

title = "West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Neutralizing Antibodies Found in Dutch Rodent Species",

abstract = "Background:In the Netherlands, Usutu virus (USUV) is endemic in birds, and recently West Nile virus (WNV) was also detected in birds, mosquitoes and humans. Here we investigated the possible role of rodents in the viruses' transmission ecology. Materials and Methods: We sampled rodents at six locations including sites where WNV had been previously detected. Brains (n = 668), oral swabs (n = 282), and ticks (n = 91) collected from rodents were tested for arboviruses via Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Also, sera from 118 rodents were tested for WNV- and USUV-antibodies. Results and Conclusion: Brain samples, swabs, and ticks tested negative for viral RNA. However, 2.5\% (3/118; two wood mice, one field vole) of rodents had WNV-neutralizing antibodies (WNV-NAbs). USUV-NAbs were detected in a wood mouse. Two bank voles had NAbs against both viruses. The WNV and USUV antibody-positive rodents were found at locations with previous WNV and USUV circulations, suggesting that rodents may be involved in the ecology of WNV and USUV.",

author = "Atama, \{Nnomzie C\} and Martin, \{Beatriz B\} and \{van Horssen\}, \{Mees G\} and Chandler, \{Felicity D\} and Pascoe, \{Emily L\} and \{de Cock\}, \{Marieke P\} and Miriam Maas and Holicki, \{Cora M\} and Esser, \{Helen J\} and Koenraadt, \{Constantianus J M\} and Koopmans, \{Marion P G\} and Maarten Schrama and Sikkema, \{Reina S\}",

note = "his work is part of a One Health PACT research consortium, which is (partly) funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) with project number 109986. R.S.S. and M.K. received funding from the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No. 874735 (VEO). Fieldwork was partly funded by Kappa Flu budget (project number: 1414961).",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

day = "7",

doi = "10.1177/15303667251380275",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "708--711",

journal = "Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases",

issn = "1530-3667",

publisher = "Mary Ann Liebert Inc.",

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}

Atama, NC , Martin, BB, van Horssen, MG, Chandler, FD, Pascoe, EL, de Cock, MP, Maas, M, Holicki, CM, Esser, HJ, Koenraadt, CJM, Koopmans, MPG, Schrama, M & Sikkema, RS 2026, 'West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Neutralizing Antibodies Found in Dutch Rodent Species', Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, vol. 25, no. 11, pp. 708-711. https://doi.org/10.1177/15303667251380275

TY - JOUR

T1 - West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Neutralizing Antibodies Found in Dutch Rodent Species

AU - Atama, Nnomzie C

AU - Martin, Beatriz B

AU - van Horssen, Mees G

AU - Chandler, Felicity D

AU - Pascoe, Emily L

AU - de Cock, Marieke P

AU - Maas, Miriam

AU - Holicki, Cora M

AU - Esser, Helen J

AU - Koenraadt, Constantianus J M

AU - Koopmans, Marion P G

AU - Schrama, Maarten

AU - Sikkema, Reina S

N1 - his work is part of a One Health PACT research consortium, which is (partly) funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) with project number 109986. R.S.S. and M.K. received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the grant agreement No. 874735 (VEO). Fieldwork was partly funded by Kappa Flu budget (project number: 1414961).

PY - 2026/1/7

Y1 - 2026/1/7

N2 - Background:In the Netherlands, Usutu virus (USUV) is endemic in birds, and recently West Nile virus (WNV) was also detected in birds, mosquitoes and humans. Here we investigated the possible role of rodents in the viruses' transmission ecology. Materials and Methods: We sampled rodents at six locations including sites where WNV had been previously detected. Brains (n = 668), oral swabs (n = 282), and ticks (n = 91) collected from rodents were tested for arboviruses via Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Also, sera from 118 rodents were tested for WNV- and USUV-antibodies. Results and Conclusion: Brain samples, swabs, and ticks tested negative for viral RNA. However, 2.5% (3/118; two wood mice, one field vole) of rodents had WNV-neutralizing antibodies (WNV-NAbs). USUV-NAbs were detected in a wood mouse. Two bank voles had NAbs against both viruses. The WNV and USUV antibody-positive rodents were found at locations with previous WNV and USUV circulations, suggesting that rodents may be involved in the ecology of WNV and USUV.

AB - Background:In the Netherlands, Usutu virus (USUV) is endemic in birds, and recently West Nile virus (WNV) was also detected in birds, mosquitoes and humans. Here we investigated the possible role of rodents in the viruses' transmission ecology. Materials and Methods: We sampled rodents at six locations including sites where WNV had been previously detected. Brains (n = 668), oral swabs (n = 282), and ticks (n = 91) collected from rodents were tested for arboviruses via Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Also, sera from 118 rodents were tested for WNV- and USUV-antibodies. Results and Conclusion: Brain samples, swabs, and ticks tested negative for viral RNA. However, 2.5% (3/118; two wood mice, one field vole) of rodents had WNV-neutralizing antibodies (WNV-NAbs). USUV-NAbs were detected in a wood mouse. Two bank voles had NAbs against both viruses. The WNV and USUV antibody-positive rodents were found at locations with previous WNV and USUV circulations, suggesting that rodents may be involved in the ecology of WNV and USUV.

U2 - 10.1177/15303667251380275

DO - 10.1177/15303667251380275

M3 - Article

C2 - 40944489

SN - 1530-3667

VL - 25

SP - 708

EP - 711

JO - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

JF - Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases

IS - 11

ER -

West Nile Virus and Usutu Virus Neutralizing Antibodies Found in Dutch Rodent Species

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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